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730-826

Second

ἐπεισόδιον

. Philoctetes is attacked by sharp pain, and hands his bow to Neoptolemus, asking him to keep it till the spasms pass off. Presently the sufferer falls asleep,—though not before he has received the youth's promise to remain by him.

εἰ θέλεις , ‘if you please,’ like

εἰ δοκεῖ

(526). But

εἰ βούλει

usu.=‘if you prefer it’ ( Xen. An. 3. 4. 41 ).

ἀπόπληκτος ἔχει , attonitus haeres: for

ἀπόπλ

., cp. Ant. 1189 : for the pass.

ἔχομαι

, ib. 1140.

τί δ’ ἔστιν ; cp. 753 , 917, O. T. 319. It does not seem likely that Soph. would have preferred to write τί ἔστιν (with hiatus), though several recent editors give this: cp. 100 n.

τῆς παρεστώσης , not, ‘which is upon thee at this moment’ (765

τὸ πῆμα ...τὸ νῦν παρόν

), but rather, ‘which is habitual to thee’: hence the word is not superfluous. Often, however,

παρεστώς

, is nearly synonymous with

παρών

: cp. 1340 , O. T. 633.

735 The intrans. κουφίζειν is rare in Attic: in Helen. 1555

κουφίζοντα

, ‘treading lightly,’ seems (as Paley says) to imply an ellipse of

πόδας

. But in this application (to illness) the phrase may have been familiar, as Hippocr. Epid. 2. 10 (quoted by Musgrave) has

ἐκούφισεν ὀλίγῳ

, ‘he became a little better.’

736 f. I follow A here (see cr. n.), for a reason which was felt by Hermann, but which has not been sufficiently considered by some other editors,—viz., that ἰὼ θεοί (scanned as a bacchius,

˘¯¯

) does not receive sufficient emphasis or prominence unless it stands extra metrum. Cp. 750

ἴθ’ ὦ παῖ

, and 219. I. T. 780 has been compared:

ΟΡ. ὦ θεοί. ΙΦ. τί τοὺς θεοὺς ἀνακαλεῖς ἐν τοῖς ἐμοῖς

; But there, as Herm. says, the

ὦ θεοί

is quite unlike the

ἰὼ θεοί

here: it is the rapid utterance of one who fears to betray himself, not a cry of anguish extorted by physical torment. For the absence of caesura, cp. 101 . Cavallin reads ἰὼ θεοί .

τί θεοὺς ἀναστένων καλεῖς ; Cp. Ai. 1129

μή νυν ἀτίμα θεούς, θεοῖς σεσωσμένος

. But the art. before θεοὺς , in which L and A agree, seems genuine here.

κυρῶν : cp. 544 n.

διέρχεται . In 758 the disease is personified as

αὕτη

, in 807 as

ἥδε

: here the subject might be simply

κακόν

from 742.

βρύκομαι : cp. 7 : Tr. 987

ἡ δ’ αὖ μιαρὰ βρύκει

(the

νόσος

746 Written as above, the exclamations represent three successive cries of pain, each longer than the last, as the agony becomes sharper; they seem to suggest the convulsive movement of the lips from which the sounds are wrung.

εἴ τί σοι ξίφος πρόχειρον (=

πάρεστι

) χεροῖν , if you have any sword ready in your hands.

πρόχειρος

can be combined with

χεροῖν

(as in Soph. El. 696

πρόχειρον ἔγχος χειρὶ βαστάζουσ’ ἐμῇ

) without seeming pleonastic, since the derived sense of the compound adj. ( promptus) is prominent. Cp. 407 n.: Plat. Theaet. 200C

ἐὰν μὴ προχείρους ἔχῃ

(

ἐπιστήμας

)

ἐν τῇ ψυχῇ

πάταξον εἰς ἄκρον πόδα . The ulcered heel is to be severed from the foot.

ἄκρος ποῦς

seems to mean simply, ‘the end of the foot,’ i.e. the heel (

πτέρνα

), the seat of the ulcer. Cp. 824 . The phrase could also mean, ‘the foot at the end of the leg,’ as in Il. 16. 640

ἐκ κεφαλῆς εἴλυτο διαμπερὲς ἐς πόδας ἄκρους

(=simply ‘from head to foot’): but this is less fitting here.

ἴθ’ ὦ παῖ , an earnest entreaty: cp. O. T. 1468

ἴθ’ ὦναξ

, |

ἴθ’ ὦ γονῇ γενναῖε

νεοχμὸν ἐξαίφνης : cp. Tr. 1130

ἀρτίως νεοσφαγής

, and Ant. 1283. —

ὅτου

, causal, with the whole sentence: 327 n.: σαυτοῦ with ἰυγήν , etc.; object. gen.—I give ποεῖ , instead of the vulg.

ποεῖς. ποιεῖσθαι

(midd.)

στόνον

στένειν

: whereas

ποιεῖν στόνον

could mean only, ‘to cause, or excite, it.’ We cannot defend

ποεῖς

here by Il. 15. 363

ποιήσῃ

(act.)

ἀθύρματα

, which is not a mere periphrasis for

ἀθύρειν

, but = ‘making playthings’ in the sand,—houses, dykes, etc. Nor can

δεινὰ ποιῶ

be cited, which is not an equiv. for

δεινὸν ποιοῦμαι

, but means ‘to do dreadful things,’ referring to the outward display of horror or grief by gestures or cries. (Cp. my n. on Andoc. or. 1 § 41.) In Soph. Ai. 75 , where

ἀρεῖ

(midd.) is now read by most edd., L has

ἄρηις

τί σοί ; These words clearly belong to Neopt., and mean, ‘What is the matter with thee?’ The phrase is not a usual one; but it is clear enough here, esp. as ἔστιν can easily be carried on. Hermann, giving

τί σοί

to Philoctetes, took it as meaning ‘What is that to thee?’ ( quid tua refert?)—a protest against closer questioning.

τοὐπίσαγμα .

ἐπισάττειν

is classical as=‘to put a load on’ a baggageanimal, or ‘to saddle’ a horse (Her. , Xen. , etc.): and

ἐπίσαγμα

was a common word, at least in later Greek, as may be inferred from the schol. on Nub. 450 (

ἐπίσαγμα τῶν ὄνων

), and from its use by the LXX. (Lev. xv. 9). In the marg. of L the gl. is,

ἡ ἐπείσοδος· ἡ προσθήκη

. The second word suits

τοὐπίσαγμα

: the first refers to the v. l. τοὐπείσαγμα , in the sense of ‘access.’ But such a word is neither extant nor conceivable. Bergk's τοὐπίσιγμα (

ἐπισίζω

), ‘hounding on,’ would mean here, ‘exasperation,’—as if some Fury were stimulating the

νόσημα

. The word was used by Soph. in his Athamas, acc. to an amended gloss in Hesychius ( Soph. fr. 8).

γὰρ =‘indeed,’ in assent; cp. O. T. 1117 n.

δράσω : aor. subj.

ἥκει … ἐξεπλήσθη . Ph. fears that the sight of his horrible sufferings may deter Neopt. from taking him on board. He says,—‘Do not be scared into abandoning me. For this tormentor ( αὕτη , the personified

νόσος

) comes only now and then ( διὰ χρόνου ),—when she has been sated, haply, with her roamings.’ And so—since the voyage to Greece will take less than one whole day (480)—he is not likely to have an attack while at sea. Three points deserve notice. (1) ἥκει =‘is wont to come,’—a sense which is as fitting for it as for a regular perfect tense used in the ‘gnomic’ manner (

ὄπωπε

, Soph. Ant. 1126 ). So in Plat. Symp. 188A

ἥκει

is joined to the gnomic aor.

ἠδίκησεν

: and in Xen. Oec. 21. 3

ἐκβαίνουσιν...ἥκουσι

denotes a repeated occurrence. (2) διὰ χρόνου , ‘after an interval of time,’ implies here, as it usually does, that the interval is a considerable one: cp. 285 n., where Lys. or. 1 § 12 is cited. (3) πλάνοις is contrasted with ἥκει . The word was suggested by the fact that intermittent fevers (etc.) were called

πλάνητες

(Hippocr. Epid. 1. 944 ). The term implied that the intervals were irregular: cp. Erotian Gloss. p. 306 (quoted by Arndt)

πλάνητες πυρετοὶ λέγονται οἱ μὴ κατὰ τάξιν φοιτῶντες

. This may be illustrated by the use of

πλανᾶσθαι

in Her. 6. 52 ,

ἢν δὲ πλανᾶται...ἐναλλὰξ ποιεῦσα

(‘if she is capricious, varying the order’— opp. to

κατὰ ταὐτὰ αἰεὶ ποιεῦσα

). So id. 7. 16. 2

ἐνύπνια...τὰ ἐς ἀνθρώπους πεπλανημένα

(‘the dreams which are wont at times to visit men’). It was easy, then, for the poet to imagine the fitful

νόσος

as a personified wanderer, who, when sated with wandering, comes back to her abode:—much as Aesch. ( Aesch. P. V. 275 ) speaks of calamity ‘roaming’ among men:

πλανωμένη

πρὸς ἄλλοτ’ ἄλλον πημονὴ προσιζάνει

. Cp. below, Aesch. P. V. 808

ὀξεῖα φοιτᾷ καὶ ταχεἶ ἀπέρχεται

. So the schol., who explains

πλάνοις

ὁδοιπορίαις

:—

ἥκει ἡ νόσος, ἴσως ὅτε ἐκορέσθη πλανωμένη· ὡς ἐπὶ θηρὸς δὲ ποιεῖται τὸν λόγον

. This is clearly better than to understand,—‘when it has once been sated, it returns only after a long interval,—in wandering fashion, seemingly’ ( πλάνοις being then a modal dat.).—For conjectures, see Appendix.

ἐξεπλήσθη. — ἰώ . There is no other example of such a hiatus in a tragic trimeter. (As to lyrics, cp. 832 , 851.) Probably, however, the text is sound. The verse is divided between two speakers, there is a full stop after

ἐξεπλήσθη

, and the second speaker begins with an interjection. Thus the hiatus has an exceptional excuse. On the other hand no emendation is probable. φεῦ (instead of the first ἰώ ) is certainly not so, whether it be given to Ph. or Neoptolemus. Gaisford says, ‘ ἐξέπλης ’, ut videtur, conj. Elmsleius.’ This would require us to read πλάνους , or (keeping

πλάνοις

) to understand

αὐτούς

. But the context strongly confirms

ἐξεπλήσθη

760 There is an error in the traditional numbering here, as the fourth verse after this is called 765. The origin of this error is explained in the Appendix. To avoid changing the usual numeration throughout the rest of the play, I designate the next verse as 762.

δῆτα . Cp. El. 1163

ὥς μ’ ἀπώλεσας

, |

ἀπώλεσας δῆτ’.

δύστηνε … φανείς : the predicative adj. is assimilated to the vocative partic. Cp. 828 n.:

αεσξη. περς.ὦ πολύκλαυτε φίλοισι θανών

. Eur. Tro. 1221

σύ τ’ ὦ ποτ’ οὖσα καλλίνικε μυρίων

μῆτερ τροπαίων

. Propert. 2. 15. 2 Lectule deliciis facte beate meis.

διὰ πόνων πάντων , ‘ in all manner of troubles,’— i.e., ‘in the course’ of them: O. T. 773

διὰ τύχης τοιᾶσδ’ ἰών

. I. T. 988

διὰ πόνων τ’ ἄγει

( sc.

ὁ δαίμων

βούλει λάβωμαι ..; El. 80

θέλεις

μείνωμεν

...; This idiom is a parataxis of two questions originally distinct:

βούλει; λάβωμαι

; Where the subjunctive stands first, as in Dem. or. 14 § 27

θῶ βούλεσθε

...; the verb of wishing might seem to be parenthetic. But such an example as Plat. Rep. 372C ,

εἰ...βούλεσθε... θεωρήσωμεν, οὐδὲν ἀποκωλύει

, shows that the subjunctive had come to be felt as depending on the verb of wishing. In classical Greek no conjunction could be used to link the verbs, since

βούλομαι

and

θέλω

took only the inf. In later Greek we still have

θέλεις ποιήσω

; (St Luke xviii. 41:) but also

θέλω ἵνα δῷς

(St Mark vi. 25). δῆτα has been suspected here, because it occurs in 757, Plat. Rep. 760 , Plat. Rep. 763. Nauck would remove it by rewriting the passage thus:—

βούλει λάβωμαι καὶ θίγω; ΦΙΛ. μὴ τοῦτό γε

, |

ἀλλ’ ὥσπερ ᾔτου μ’ ἀρτίως, τὰ τόξ’ ἑλών

, |

ἕως ἀνῇ τὸ πῆμα τοῦτο τῆς νόσου

, |

σῷζ’ αὐτὰ καὶ φύλασσε

. But here, as in 757, it is interrogative, while in 760 and 763 it is otherwise used; and this difference of usage palliates the iteration. Cp. the threefold

ἀλλὰ

in 645, Plat. Rep. 647 , Plat. Rep. 651 : also Soph. O. T. 517

φέρον

, Soph. O. T. 519

φέροντι

, Soph. O. T. 520

φέρει

, where the excuse is the same as here, viz. that, in the 1st and 3rd places the word means ‘tend,’ but in the 2nd, ‘bear.’ No weight attaches to the fact that the 1st hand in L accidentally omitted

δῆτα

, which the reviser added. In 772 L lacks

ταῦτα

altogether; and yet that word is certainly sound.

μοι : ethic dat.: O. C. 1475 n.

ἕως without

ἄν

, as Tr. 148 , Ai. 555. Cp. 917 .

ἀνῇ : 639 n.

τὸ πῆμα … τῆς νόσου : Ai. 363

τὸ πῆμα τῆς ἄτης

: Aesch. Ag. 850

πῆὐ ἀποστρέψαι νόσου

γὰρ οὖν : ‘for indeed’ (prefacing an explanation); Ant. 489.

ἐξίῃ , draw to an end: Her. 2. 139

ὡς οὖν ὁ χρόνος οὗτος ἐξήιε

λῆξαι . The subject to the inf. is

τὸ κακόν

. When the pain is subsiding (

ἐξίῃ

), the patient falls asleep; and it is only by sleep that the pain can be wholly allayed (

λῆξαι

). The schol. explains

λῆξαι

τῆς ὀδύνης παύσασθαι

, as if the subject were

με

: but where

λήγω

is so used the gen. is commonly added, as in Ai. 274

ἔληξε...τῆς νόσου

ἕκηλον εὕδειν .

με

is easily supplied from 767; the omission is thus less bold than that in 801 (

ἔμπρησον

).— τῷδε τῷ χρόνῳ , within it; cp. 715

δεκέτει χρόνῳ

, n.

ἐκεῖνοι : Odysseus and Diomedes (570).

ἑκόντα μήτ’ ἄκοντα . A

μήτε

is understood before

ἑκόντα

: cp. Aesch. Ag. 532

Πάρις γὰρ οὔτε συντελὴς πόλις

: and Soph. O. T. 236 ff. (n.): Soph. Ant. 267. Dindorf changes μήτ’ to μηδ’ . This is, of course, admissible. When a single

οὐδέ

(or

μηδέ

) connects two words, the negative force is more often, indeed, confined to the second, as in 756

δεινὸν γὰρ οὐδὲ ῥητόν

. But there are also many examples in which

οὐδέ

negatives the preceding word also: as Thuc. 8. 99

αἱ Φοίνισσαι νῆες οὐδὲ ὁ Τισσαφέρνης...ἧκον

. Ar. Av. 694

γῆ δ’ οὐδ’ ἀὴρ οὐδ’ οὐρανὸς ἦν

. Where, however,

οὐδέ

is thus retrospective, another negative (such as

οὐδέν

) is usu. joined to the verb: Her. 1. 215

σιδήρῳ δὲ οὐδ’ ἀργύρῳ χρέωνται οὐδέν

: Thuc. 6. 55

Θεσσαλοῦ μὲν οὐδ’ Ἱππάρχου οὐδεὶς παῖς γέγραπται

(add id. 5. 47 cited below): Dem. or. 22 § 4

ἁπλοῦν μὲν οὐδὲ δίκαιον οὐδὲν ἂν εἰπεῖν ἔχοι.

μήτε τῳ τέχνῃ . Here again Dindorf writes μηδέ . Note that, whether

μήτε

μηδέ

be read, it does not here balance the preceding

μήτε

(or

μηδέ

), since

ἑκ. μήτ’ ἄκ

.=(

μήθ’

)

ἑκ. μήτ’ ἄκ

.: hence we might read

μήτ’ ἄκοντα

, and yet

μηδέ τῳ τέχνῃ

. Cp. Plat. Rep. 426B

οὔτε φάρμακα οὔτε καύσεις οὔτε τομαὶ οὐδ’ αὖ ἐπῳδαί

. But it is needless to alter μήτε .—For τέχνῃ , cp. Soph. Ai. 752

παντοίᾳ τέχνῃ

: Thuc. 5. 47

ὅπλα μὴ ἐξέστω ἐπιφέρειν...τέχνῃ μηδὲ μηχανῇ μηδεμιᾷ

: Xen. Anab. 4. 5. 16

ἐδεῖτο αὐτῶν πάσῃ τέχνῃ καὶ μηχανῇ μὴ ἀπολείπεσθαι

πρόστροπον : in this sense only here and in O. T. 41. Cp. 470

ἱκέτης ἱκνοῦμαι

: 930:

τὸν προστρόπαιον, τὸν ἱκέτην.

κτείνας γένῃ : cp. 1067 : Ai. 588

μὴ προδοὺς ἡμᾶς γένῃ

. Plat. Soph. 217C

μὴ...ἀπαρνηθεὶς γένῃ

προνοίας οὕνεκ’ . One MS. (B) adds γ’ to

προνοίας

. Where οὕνεκα or

ἕνεκα

has this sense (‘so far as’ a thing ‘is concerned’), γε is certainly frequent: cp. O. T. 857 f.

μαντείας γ’...οὕνεκ’

: El. 387 and 605

τοῦδέ γ’ οὕνεκ’

. In O. C. 22

χρόνου μὲν οὕνεκ’

, the

μέν

is equiv. to

γε

. On the other hand in El. 787

τῶν τῆσδ’ ἀπειλῶν οὕνεχ’

, no MS. has

ἀπειλῶν γ’

. And here the emphasis of

γε

is not required.

πλὴν σοί τε κἀμοί : i.e., as I receive them from thee, so to thee alone will I give them up. They shall pass between no hands save thine and mine. Cp. 668

καὶ δόντι δοῦναι

, n.

ξὺν τύχῃ , a poet. equiv. for the familiar

τύχῃ ἀγαθῇ

( quod bene vertat): Plat. Symp. 177E

τύχῃ ἀγαθῇ καταρχέτω Φαῖδρος

. Cp. Aesch. Ch. 138

ἐλθεῖν δ’ Ὀρέστην δεῦρο σὺν τύχῃ τινὶ

κατεύχομαί σοι

: Ar. Av. 1723

περιπέτεσθε μάκαρα

μάκαρι σὺν τύχῃ

τὸν φθόνον δὲ πρόσκυσον , do reverence ( cp. 657 ) to the divine jealousy, i.e., propitiate it by some gesture or word showing that you fear it. To hold the bow—though only as a temporary loan— was an honour so high that it might well excite that

φθόνος θεῶν

which resents too great

εὐτυχία

in men. Pind. I. 6. 39

ὁ δ’ ἀθανάτων μὴ θρασσέτω φθόνος

ὅ τι τερπνὸν ἐφάμερον

. Aesch. Ag. 904

φθόνος δ’ ἀπέστω· πολλὰ γὰρ τὰ πρὶν κακὰ

ἠνειχόμεσθα

: id. Aesch. P. V. 936

οἱ προσκυνοῦντες τὴν Ἀδράστειαν σοφοί

( i.e.

Νέμεσιν

). Plat. Rep. 451A

προσκυνῶ δὲ Ἀδράστειαν...χάριν

οὗ μέλλω λέγειν

. I do not write

Φθόνον

, since it seems unnecessary to assume a definite personification: cp. 436

πόλεμος

, n.

μή … γενέσθαι depends on

πρόσκυσον

as on a verb of praying. (This is simpler than to make the inf. epexegetic ‘so that,’ etc.)

πολύπονα . Ph. speaks as if his own sufferings in Lemnos, and the various trials of Heracles, were due to the bow, once Apollo's: i.e., as if its mortal owners had been punished by jealous gods for the excessive goodfortune of possessing it.

μηδ’ ὅπως , sc.

ἐγένετο

, in the sense of

συνήνεγκε

, turn out as they did for me. For

ὅπως

instead of

οἷα

, cp. O. C. 1124

καί σοι θεοὶ πόροιεν ὡς ἐγὼ θέλω

(n.).

θεοί : for the synizesis cp. 196 .

γένοιτο … γένοιτο δὲ : cp. 633 n.— ταῦτα νῷν : the vague phrase covers his secret prayer,—that, sharing the possession of the bow with Ph. , he may also share the victory over Troy (115).

κεὐσταλής , well-sped, expeditious: cp. 516 n.

ὅποι ποτὲ κ.τ.λ.: with the same ambiguity as in 529.

ἀλλ’ Ὄκνος

κ.τ.λ.

The MSS. have ἀλλὰ δέδοικ’, ὦ παῖ, μή μ’ ἀτελὴς εὐχή . Camerarius conjectured

ἀλλ’ οὖν δέδοικα μὴ μάτην εὔχῃ, τέκνον

, which Cavallin prints. Wecklein gives

δέδοικα δ’, ὦ παῖ, μὴ μάτην εὔχῃ τάδε

,...in which

τάδε

is his own, and

δέδοικα δ’

(instead of

ἀλλὰ δέδοικ’

) is Neue's. The conjecture in the text is my own. I differ from Camerarius in holding that the traditional ὦ παῖ is genuine, and from Neue in holding that the ἀλλὰ is genuine also. The spurious word is δέδοικ’ , a gloss upon some rarer expression in the same sense, as Hermann saw; who wrote,

ἀλλ’ οὔ τί σοι, παῖ, μὴ )τελὴς εὐχὴ πέλῃ

. First, as to metre. The words

ἀλλὰ δέδοικ’, ὦ παῖ, μή μ’ ἀτελὴς εὐχή

can be read as a dochmiac dimeter, though of an unusual type (cp. J.H.Heinrich Schmidt, Rhythmic and Metric, p. 77). But they cannot be construed: μ’ can be only με : and, though we read εὔχῃ, μή μ’ ἀτελὴς (or ἀτελῶς ) εὔχῃ could not mean, ‘lest thou pray vainly on my behalf.’ An iambic trimeter is required here. On this point recent edd. and critics are practically unanimous. In the whole passage from 730 to 826 the series of trimeters is otherwise unbroken, save by those brief cries of Ph. which occur ‘extra metrum’ ( 785 , 787 , 790 , 796 , 804 ). A solitary dochmiac dimeter is here inconceivable. The corruption of the trimeter began with the loss of the last word, as in Ant. 1301 the MS.

πέριξ

came from

περὶ ξίφει

. Among the words suggested are

πέλῃ, τύχῃ, κυρῇ, μένῃ, τάδ’ ᾖ, τάδε, τέκνον

. Of these,

τύχῃ

alone has any resemblance to

εὐχή

: but ἔχει might easily have dropped out after

εὔχηι

. For the phrase cp. O. C. 652

τοῦ μάλιστ’ ὄκνος σ’ ἔχει

; Next, as to ἀτέλεστ’ . An ellipse of

ἦ

with

μὴ ἀτελὴς εὐχή

would be too harsh: we must read

εὔχῃ

. Again,

μὴ ἀτελὴς εὔχῃ

could not mean, ‘lest thou pray in vain.’ In Pind. Pyth. 5. 83

ἀτελὴς ...μαντεύμασιν

is said of the god. On the other hand cp. Od. 8. 570

τὰ δέ κεν θεὸς ἢ τελέσειεν

ἤ κ’ ἀτέλεστ’ εἴη

. And when

ΕΥΧΗΙ

had become

εὐχή, ΑΤΕΛΕΣΤ

would easily become

ἀτελής

, the

τ’

being taken for an intruded

τε

.— See Appendix.

For μὴ followed by α , cp. 933 : O. T. 1388

τὸ μὴ ἀποκλῇσαι

: El. 1169

μὴ ἀπολείπεσθαι

: Aesch. Eum. 85

τὸ μὴ ἀδικεῖν

: Eur. Tro. 981

μὴ ἀμαθεῖς ποίει θεάς

. Most edd. now write

μὴ ἀδικεῖν

, etc., assuming synizesis, rather than

μἀδικεῖν

(crasis), or

μὴ )δικεῖν

κηκῖον : cp. 696

κηκιομέναν

, n.— νέον with a sinister sense: cp. 554

νέα

, 560

νεώτερον

, 751

νεοχμόν

ἐργάσει =

μέλλεις ἐργάσεσθαι

: cp. 441

ἐρεῖς

, 581

λέξει

. The fut. is better suited than

ἐργάζει

to the presentiment of agony ( προσέρπει ). For the latter cp. Tr. 1010

ἧπταί μου...ἥδ’ αὖθ’ ἕρπει

τάλας , nom.; cp. O. C. 753

ὦ τάλας ἐγώ

(n.).

ἔχετε , ‘know,’ as Ant. 9

ἔχεις τι κεἰσήκουσας;

μηδαμῇ is supported by L here, and is not less fitting than

μηδαμῶς

, which Blaydes desires. Cp. O. C. 1104 n.

Κεφαλλήν : cp. 263 f., n.

σοῦ with ἔχοιτο , cleave to thee, διαμπερὲς στέρνων , piercing thy breast (and not merely thy foot).

σοῦ

, not

σου

, is needed here, where there is a contrast between the actual sufferer and the man to whom he wishes the plague transferred. If we read σου , the chief emphasis would fall on

διαμπερὲς στέρνων

μάλ’ αὖθις : cp. O. T. 1316

οἴμοι

, |

οἴμοι μάλ’ αὖθις.

ὦ διπλοῖ στρ. : cp. 264 .

Ἀγάμεμνον, ὦ Μενέλαε . A proper name excuses an anapaest in any foot except the 6th (cp. O. C. 1 ). The fact that this licence has been used in the 1st foot is no reason why it should not recur in the same v., if, as here, a second proper name requires it. We need not assume, then, with Hermann, that the second anapaest marks a laxity peculiar to the later period of tragedy. Blaydes conjectures, and Nauck adopts, Μενέλαέ τ’ Ἀγάμεμνόν τε —to the detriment, surely, of the verse.—For πῶς ἄν with optat., cp. 551 n.: for τρέφοιτε , Ai. 503

λατρείας...τρέφει

τὸν ἴσον χρόνον . Here, again, the anapaest has been impugned, on the ground that it ought to be contained in a single word. But, as a prep. and its case are excepted from this rule ( Eur. Or. 898

ἐπὶ τῷδε δ’ ἠγόρευε Διομήδης ἄναξ

), so also are an art. and its noun.

ὦ Θάνατε . So Aeschylus, too, made Philoctetes invoke Death: fr. 250

ὦ Θάνατε παιάν, μή μ’ ἀτιμάσῃς μολεῖν·

μόνος γὰρ εἶ σὺ τῶν ἀνηκέστων κακῶν

ἰατρός

. Cp. O. C. 1220 (Death as the last

ἐπίκουρος

), and Ai. 854.

ἀεὶ … κατ’ ἦμαρ : cp. O. C. 681

θάλλει...κατ’ ἦμαρ ἀεὶ

νάρκισσος.

δύνᾳ , admitted in Attic verse as an equiv. for

δύνασαι

(Porson Hec. 253 ): in prose it is postclassical. Cp. 849 .

ὦ τέκνον, ὦ γενναῖον . Cp. Il. 6. 55

ὦ πέπον ὦ Μενέλαε

: Ar. Av. 1271

ὦ Πεισθέταιῤ, ὦ μακάρἰ, ὦ σοφώτατε

. Eur. Cycl. 266

ὦ κάλλιστον ὦ Κυκλώπιον.

ἀλλὰ , hortative: cp. 230 , 950.

τῷ Λ. τῷδ’ ἀνακ. πυρὶ : you fire, famed as Lemnian;

πῦρ ὃ Λήμνιον ἀνακαλοῦσι

:—the volcano Mosychlus, which was always associated with Lemnos, and which had given rise to the proverb

Λήμνιον πῦρ

. One meaning of

ἀνακαλεῖν

is ‘to call to’ a person by his name: Thuc. 7. 70 § 8

ἀνακαλοῦντες ὀνομαστὶ τὸν τριήραρχον

. Hence the verb is sometimes joined with appellatives, as Thuc. 1. 3

Δαναοὺς...ἐν τοῖς ἔπεσι...ἀνακαλεῖ

(Homer designates the Greeks as Danai): Soph. El. 693

Ἀργεῖος μὲν ἀνακαλούμενος

.—Not: ‘Yon Lemnian fire, which is so famous’ (as if

ἀνακαλουμένῳ

, by itself, could mean ‘celebrated’): nor, ‘yon Lemnian fire which is invoked by me.’ There is thus no difficulty in

ἀνακαλουμένῳ

when rightly understood, while the proposed substitutes (cr. n.) are all unsatisfactory.

The volcanic mountain called

Μόσυχλος

appears to have been on the east coast of Lemnos, south of the rocky promontory (

Ἑρμαῖον ὄρος

, v. 1459) to which the cave of Philoctetes was adjacent. No volcanic crater can now be traced in Lemnos; and it is probable that the ancient Mosychlus has been submerged. See Appendix.

Λήμνιον πῦρ

was proverbial for ‘a fierce fire’ ( Ar. Lys. 299 ). Lycophron (227) has

τεφρώσας γυῖα Λημναίῳ πυρί

in this sense, and calls Ajax

ὁ Λήμνιος

πρηστὴρ Ἐνυοῦς

(462), ‘Lemnian thunderbolt of war.’ Cp. Hesych.

Λήμνιον βλέπειν· ἐπειδὴ τὸ πῦρ Λήμνιον

. The legendary association of Lemnos with fierce crime (

Λήμνια κακά

) may have helped to suggest such phrases.

ἔμπρησον : the omission of

με

is somewhat bold here: but cp. 769 , 1368: Ai. 496

ἀφῇς

, O. T. 461

λάβῃς

( sc.

με

). If we read πυρί μ’ |, the

ἐπισυναλοιφή

might be defended by the elision of

δ’, τ’

, and once

ταῦτ’

( O. T. 332 ) at the end of a verse ( O. T. 29 n.). But the fact seems to be that συλλαβὼν in 799, which at once suggests

με

, excuses the absence of the pron. here.

τὸν τοῦ Διὸς παῖδ’ , Heracles: cp. 727 f. n.

σῴζεις , as their temporary guardian: cp. 766 .

τοῦτ’ ; i.e.

ἐμπρῆσαι

, cp. 670 . Heracles was conveyed to the summit of Oeta by his son Hyllus, who helped to make the pyre, but refused to kindle it ( Tr. 1214 ). It was kindled, acc. to one account, by Philoctetes; acc. to another, by his father Poeas. The former version was naturally preferred where the aim of the legend was to honour Philoctetes, since thus he inherited the bow directly from Heracles: and, since Philoctetes was a more important figure than Poeas, this was the prevailing account. The other version, which made Poeas the kindler, had a recommendation of a different kind in the eyes of mythologists who aimed at a strict chronology,—viz., that the episode was thus confined to the generation before the Trojan war. Tzetzes, in his scholia on Lycophron, gives the first version in one place (on vv. 914 ff.), and the second in another (on v. 50).—Cp. Met, 9. 229 At tu, Iovis inclyta proles, | Arboribus caesis quas ardua gesserat Oete | Inque pyram structis , arcus pharetramque capacem | Regnaque visuras iterum Troiana sagittas | Ferre iubes Poeante satum; quo flamma ministro | Subdita.

ἐπηξίωσα , brought myself to do it, here almost=

έτόλμησα

. Cp. El. 1273

φιλτάταν

ὁδὸν ἐπαξιώσας...φανῆναι.

δρᾶν with double acc., as 315, 918, 924, 940.

τί φής, παῖ ; Neopt. has no answer for the prayer,

ἔμπρησον

. A genuine pity for the sufferer is beginning to move him; and he knows that, if the plot succeeds, this wretched man will be carried to the place which he most dreads. He remains silent.

ποῦ ποτ’ ὤν , mentally: cp. Ant. 42

ποῦ γνώμης ποτ’ εἶ

; (n.)

πάλαι δὴ : cp. 589 .

τἀπὶ σοὶ … κακά , the ills which lie on thee: cp. Tr. 981

ἀλλ’ ἐπί μοι μελέῳ

βάρος ἄπλετον· ἐμμέμονεν φρήν

. Not, ‘the ills which have come upon thee,’ as though

ἥκοντα

could be understood ( O. C. 1472

ἥκει τῷδ’ ἐπ’ ἀνδρὶ...τελεντή

). Nor, ‘the ills in thy case.’

καὶ θάρσος ἴσχε , have good hope also (as well as

ἄλγος

): for, as the access of the malady is sharp, so it will also be transient.—Nauck enfeebles the sense by changing καὶ to μοι.

φοιτᾷ , of periodical visitations: Hes. Op. 103

νοῦσοι

... |

αὐτόματοι φοιτῶσι

: An. Hist. 7. 3 (p. 583 a 26 Berl. ed.)

αἱ

...

καθάρσεις φοιτῶσι.

ὀξεῖα, ταχεῖα adverbially: cp. 526 , 1080.

οὐ μήν . In this formula, as in

καὶ μήν, ἀλλὰ μήν, μήν

is properly adversative (‘however’): cp. O. T. 810

οὐ μὴν ἴσην γ’ ἔτεισεν

. Here

μήν

is like ‘nay,’ or ‘well’: i.e., the thought implied is, ‘I should prefer a promise on oath; however, I do not like to ask for it.’

ἔνορκον … θέσθαι , =

ὅρκῳ πιστῶσαι

: cp. O. T. 276

ὥσπερ μ’ ἀραῖον ἔλαβες

. So Oed. to Theseus, in a like case: O. C. 650

οὔτοι σ’ ὑφ’ ὅρκου γ’ ὡς κακὸν πιστώσομαι

, where see n.

ὡς , (be sure) that: 117 n.— θέμις receives a slight emphasis from γε : ‘it is needless for me to take an oath: even if I wished to leave thee, it is not lawful for me to do so.’ By θέμις Philoctetes understands the youth's sense of duty towards a suppliant (773): the spectators know that Neopt. is thinking of the oracle (841).

ἐμοὔστι : so Ai. 1225

μοὔστι

(

μοί )στι

L).

ἔμβαλλε

κ.τ.λ.

Here Philoctetes receives this pledge in place of an oath. In Tr. 1181 ff. the intense anxiety of Heracles is marked by the fact that he exacts from Hyllus, first the

δεξιά

, and then the

ὅρκος

:—

ἔμβαλλε χεῖρα δεξιὰν πρώτιστά μοι

:—

ὄμνυ Διὸς νῦν τοῦ με φύσαντος κάρα

. When belligerents had taken oaths to a treaty, the hand-pledge followed, as the seal of mutual confidence: it was the moral sanction added to the religious. Xen. Anab. 2. 3. 28

ὤμοσαν καὶ δεξιὰς ἔδοσαν

814-818

ἐκεῖσε νῦν μ’ . On leaving the cave with Neopt., Ph. had moved a few steps on the path leading down the cliffs to the shore. When the first attack of the disease came on (732), he stopped. The second attack (782) found him stationary in the same spot. A third is now beginning; and he begs Neopt. to take him ἐκεῖσε , i.e., up to the cave, where he will at least have the couch of leaves (33) to rest upon. Neopt. does not understand that ἐκεῖσε means, to the cave: so Ph. adds, ἄνω . Neopt. has meanwhile taken hold of Ph. , fearing that he may fall, or throw himself, from the cliffs (1001): his speech and manner show a fresh frenzy of agony ( παραφρονεῖς αὖ ), and his rolling eyes are upturned to the sky ( τὸν ἄνω λεύσσεις κύκλον ). The mere touch of the youth's hands is torture to the sufferer (817): and Neopt. releases him the moment that he seems to be recovering self-mastery ( εἴ τι δὴ πλέον φρονεῖς ).

αὖ , as at 732 ff., 782 ff.

τὸν ἄνω κύκλον , the vault of the sky (

τὸν κύκλον πάντα τοῦ οὐρανοῦ

, Her. 1. 131 ): cp. Au. 1715

ὀσμὴ δ’ ἀνωνόμαστος ἐς βάθος κύκλου

χωρεῖ

.—Not, ‘the orb of the sun’ (

ἡλίου κύκλος

, Ant. 416 , fr. 668).

ποτέ , tandem aliquando: 1041, O. T. 335.

ἀπό μ’ ὀλεῖς : cp. 1177 . Such tmesis, though frequent in tragic lyrics, is rarer in dialogue: Ant. 432

σὺν δέ νιν

θηρώμεθ’

: Eur. Or. 1047

ἔκ τοί με τήξεις

: perh. parodied by Vesp. 784

ἀνά τοί με πείθεις

: id. Ach. 295

κατά σε χώσομεν

: Plut. 65

ἀπό σ’ ὀλῶ κακὸν κακῶς

καὶ δὴ μεθίημ’ , I do release thee: O. C. 31 n.

εἴ τι δὴ : here

δή

nearly=

ἤδη

: cp. O. T. 968 n.

πλέον φρονεῖς , art more sane. Cp. Ai. 81

μεμηνότ’ ἄνδρα...ὀκνεῖς ἰδεῖν;—φρονοῦντα γάρ νιν οὐκ ἂν ἐξέστην

: and ib. 344

ἁνὴρ φρονεῖν ἔοικεν

(when Ajax is ‘in his right mind’ again). The 1st hand in L wrote here,

καὶ δὴ μεθείημι

( sic):

τί δὴ πλέον φρονεῖς

. No MS. has εἰ , which Hermann restored. But it has not been noticed that the mis-spelling

μεθείημι

in L may have been due to the fact that its archetype had

μεθίημ’ εἰ

θανάσιμον , proleptic, as in Ai. 516

καὶ μητέρ’ ἄλλη μοῖρα τὸν φύσαντά τε

καθεῖλεν Ἅιδου θανασίμους οἰκήτορας

. Cp. Pind. P. 1. 51

σὺν δ’ ἀνάγκᾳ μιν φίλον

καί τις ἐὼν μεγαλάνωρ ἔσανεν

(so as to make him a friend).

ὅπως ἔχω , forthwith: Ant. 1108

ὧδ’ ὡς ἔχω στείχοιμ’ ἄν.

ὀρθοῦσθαι , here, to be (not to become)

ὀρθός

, i.e., ‘to stand upright’: cp. Xen. Cyr. 8. 8. 10

ἐκφέρονται, ἐπειδὰν μηκέτι δύνωνται ὀρθούμενοι ἐξιέναι

(‘on their own feet’).

οὐ μακροῦ χρόνου : cp. O. C. 397

ἥξοντα βαιοῦ κοὐχὶ μυρίου χρόνου

(n.).

γέ τοι , as O. C. 1324 , Ai. 534 , Tr. 1212 :

γέ τοι δή

, O. T. 1171. Here

γέ τοι

is like

γοῦν

, i.e., it gives a reason for their belief. ( Cp. 767 .) ‘He seems likely to fall asleep soon, since (

γάρ

) his head is sinking back; at any rate, a sweat is certainly breaking out,’ etc.

ἄκρον … ποδὸς : cp. 748 .— φλέψ , not a vein of the body, but the thin stream in which the blood issues: cp. Polyb. 34. 9 (the removal of an obstruction)

ἐλευθεροῖ τὰς φλέβας τῆς πηγῆς, ὥστ’ ἀναβλύειν εὐπόρως

. So Martial 10. 30. 10 Lucrina vena.

Commentary on Sophocles: Philoctetes. Sir Richard C. Jebb. Cambridge. 1932.

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)) — 730 focus

ἕρπ᾽, εἰ θέλεις. τί δή ποθ' ὧδ᾽ ἐξ οὐδενὸς
715

λόγου σιωπᾷς κἀπόπληκτος ὧδ᾽ ἔχει;

ΦΙ.

ἃ ἃ, ἃ ἆ. ἀ á á a 'â â â adda a

ΝΕ.

τί ἔστιν ;

ΦΙ.

οὐδὲν δεινόν. ἀλλ᾽ ἴθ᾽, ὦ τέκνον.

ΝΕ.

μῶν ἄλγος ἴσχεις ἴσχει τῆς παρεστώσης νόσου ;
720

ΦΙ.

οὐ δῆτ᾽ ἔγωγ', ἀλλ᾽ ἄρτι κουφίζειν δοκῶ.

ὦ θεοί. ἰὼ θεοί

NE.

τί τοὺς θεοὺς θεοὺς οὕτως ἀναστένων καλεῖς βοᾷς ;

ΦΙ.

σωτῆρας αὐτοὺς ἠπίους θ᾽ ἡμῖν μολεῖν.

ἃ ἃ, ἃ ἆ. ả à ảá Corr. C². ad a
725

ΝΕ.

τί ποτε πέπονθας; οὐκ ἐρεῖς, ἀλλ᾽ ὧδ᾽ ἔσει

σιγηλός; ἐν κακῷ δέ τῳ φαίνει δὲ τῶι φαίνηι δὲ τῳ φαίνηι κυρῶν.

ΦΙ.

ἀπόλωλα ο from ω ἀπόλωλα, τέκνον, κοὐ δυνήσομαι κακὸν

κρύψαι παρ' ὑμῖν, ἀτταταῖ διέρχεται (.)διέρχεται,

διέρχεται. δύστηνος, ὦ τάλας ἐγώ.
730

ΣΟΦΟΚΛΕΟΥΣ

ἀπόλωλα, τέκνον· βρύκομαι βρύχομαι, τέκνον· παπαῖ,

ἀπαππαπαῖ, παπαῖ, παπαῖ, παπαππαπαῖ. ἀπᾶ. παπᾶι παπᾶ. πάπα, πάπα | παπαὶ ἃ πὰ πᾶ πᾶ πᾶ πᾶ πᾶ πᾶ πᾶ πᾶ

πρὸς θεῶν, πρόχειρον εἴ τί σοι, τέκνον, πάρα

ξίφος χεροῖν, πάταξον εἰς ἄκρον πόδα·

ἀπάμησον ὡς τάχιστα· μὴ μὴ· φείσῃ βίου.

735

ἴθ᾽, ὦ παῖ. ἴθι παὶ

ΝΕ.

τί δ᾽ ἔστιν ἐστίν οὕτω νεοχμὸν ἐξαίφνης, ὅτου

τοσήνδ᾽ ἰυγὴν καὶ στόνον σαυτοῦ ποιεῖς ποεῖς ποιεῖς ;

ΦΙ.

οἶσθ᾽, ὦ τέκνον.

NE.

τί τι ἔστιν;
740

ΦΙ.

οἶσθ᾽, ὦ παῖ.

NE.

τί σοί; οὐκ οἶδα.

ΦΙ.

πῶς οὐκ οἶσθα, παππαπαππαπαῖ πάπ(π)απάπ(π)ᾶπαῖ παππᾶ παππᾶι παῖ πᾶ, πα πα πα.

ΝΕ.

δεινόν γε τοὐπίσαγμα τοὐπείσαγμα τοῦ νοσήματος.

ΦΙ.

δεινὸν γὰρ οὐδὲ ῥητόν· ἀλλ᾽ οἴκτειρέ με.
745

ΦΙΛΟΚΤΗΤΗΣ.

ΝΕ.

τί δῆτα δράσω;

ΦΙ.

μή με ταρβήσας προδῷς·

ἥκει γὰρ αὕτη διὰ χρόνου πλάνοις ἴσως ὡς ὡσ

ὡς ἐξεπλήσθη.

NE.

ἰὼ ἰὼ δύστηνε σύ,
750

δύστηνε δῆτα add διὰ πόνων πάντων φανείς.

βούλει λάβωμαι λάβωμαι δῆτα καὶ θίγω τί σου;

ΦΙ.

μὴ δῆτα τοῦτό γ· ἀλλά μοι τὰ τόξ᾽ ἑλὼν

τάδ᾽, ὥσπερ ᾔτου μ᾿ ἀρτίως, ἕως ἀνῇ ἀνῇ

τὸ πῆμα τοῦτο τῆς νόσου τὸ νῦν παρόν,
755

σῶζ᾽ αὐτὰ καὶ φύλασσε, λαμβάνει λαμβάνει(ν) λαμβάνει γὰρ οὖν

ὕπνος μ᾽, ὅταν περ τὸ κακὸν ἐξίῃ εξῄ ἐξίκη τόδε·

κοὐκ ἔστι λῆξαι πρότερον· ἀλλ᾽ ἐᾶν χρεὼν

ἕκηλον εὕδειν. ἕκηλον εὕδειν μ' ἣν δὲ τῷδε τῷ χρόνῳ

μόλωσ᾽ ἐκεῖνοι, πρὸς θεῶν, ἐφίεμαι
760

ΣΟΦΟΚΛΕΟΥΣ

ἑκόντα μήτ᾽ ἄκοντα, μηδέ τῳ μὴ τέτωι μήτε τῷ τέχνῃ

κείνοις μεθεῖναι μεθεῖνε μεθεῖναι ταῦτα add, μὴ σαυτόν σαυτῷ θ᾽ ἅμα

κἄμ᾽, ὄντα σαυτοῦ πρόστροπον, κτείνας γένῃ.

ΝΕ.

θάρσει προνοίας οἵνεκ'. οὐ δοθήσεται

πλὴν σοί τε κἀμοί· ξὺν τύχῃ δὲ πρόσφερε.
765

ΦΙ.

ἰδοὺ δέχου, παῖ· τὸν φθόνον δὲ πρόσκυσον,

μή σοι γενέσθαι πολύπον αὐτά, μηδ᾽ ὅπως ὁμοίωσ

ἐμοί τε καὶ τῷ τὸ τῷ πρόσθ᾽ ἐμοῦ κεκτημένῳ.

ΝΕ.

ὦ θεοί, γένοιτο ταῦτα νῷν· γένοιτο δὲ

πλοῦς οὔριός τε κεὐσταλής καὶ εὐσταλὴσ, ὅποι ποτὲ
770

θεὸς δικαιοῖ χώ στόλος πορσύνεται.

ΦΙ.

ἀλλὰ ἄλλα ἀλλὰ ἀλλ᾽ οὐ δέδοικ, ὦ a from a ὦ παῖ, μή μ' ἀτελὴς εὔχῃ εὐχή·

ΦΙΛΟΚΤΗΤΗΣ.

ΦΙΛΟΚΤΗΤΗΣ.

στάζει γὰρ αὖ μοι φοίνιον φόνιον φοίνιον τόδ᾽ ἐκ βυθοῦ

κηκῖον αἷμα, καί τι τι? οι προσδοκῶ προσδοκεῖ προσδοκῶ νέον.

παπαῖ, φεῦ.
785

παπαῖ μάλ᾽, ὦ πούς, οἷά μ᾽ ἐργάσει κακά.

προσέρπει,

προσέρχεται τόδ᾽ ἐγγύς. οἴμοι μοι τάλας.

ἔχετε τὸ πρᾶγμα· μὴ φύγητε φύγοιτε φύγητε μηδαμῆ.

ἀτταταῖ. ἀττατατᾶ
790

ὦ ξένε Κεφαλλήν κεφαλήν κεφαλήνων, εἴθε σου διαμπερὲς

στέρνων ἔχοιτ᾽ ἄλγησις ἄλγησις ἄλγησις ἥδε. φεῦ, παπαῖ.

παπαῖ μάλ᾽ αὖθις. ὦ διπλοῖ στρατηλάται,

᾿Αγάμεμνον, ὦ Μενέλαε, πῶς ἂν ἀντ᾿ ἐμοῦ

τὸν ἴσον χρόνον τρέφοιτε τήνδε τὴν νόσον;
795

ὤμοι μοι.

ὦ θάνατε θάνατε, πῶς ἀεὶ καλούμενος

οὕτω κατ᾽ ἦμαρ οὐ δύνᾳ δύνῃ μολεῖν ποτε;

ΣΟΦΟΚΛΕΟΥΣ

ὦ τέκνον, ὦ γενναῖον, ἀλλὰ συλλαβὼν

τῷ Λημνίῳ τῷδ᾽ ἀνακαλουμένῳ πυρὶ

800

ἔμπρησον, ὦ γενναῖε· κἀγώ τοί ποτε

τὸν τοῦ Διὸς παῖδ᾽ ἀντὶ τῶνδε τῶν ὅπλων,

ἃ νῦν σὺ σώζεις σώζεις σῴζεις, τοῦτ᾽ ἐπηξίωσα δρᾶν.

τί φής, παῖ;

τί φής; τί σιγᾷς; ποῦ ποτ᾽ ὤν, τέκνον, κυρεῖς;

805

ΝΕ.

ἀλγῶ πάλαι δὴ τἀπὶ σοὶ στένων κακά.

ΦΙ.

ἀλλ᾽, ὦ τέκνον, καὶ θάρσος ἴσχ· ὡς ἥδε μοι

ὀξεῖα φοιτᾷ καὶ ταχεῖ᾽ ἀπέρχεται ἐπέρχεται.

ἀλλ᾽ ἀντιάζω, μή με καταλίπῃς καταλείπηισ καταλίπης μόνον.

ΝΕ.

θάρσει, μενοῦμεν.
810

ΦΙ.

ἢ μενεῖς;

NE.

σαφῶς φρόνει.

ΦΙ.

οὐ μήν σ᾽ ἔνορκόν γ'᾽ ἀξιῶ θέσθαι, τέκνον.

ΦΙΛΟΚΤΗΤΗΣ,

ΝΕ.

ὡς οὐ θέμις γ᾽ ἐμοὔστι ἐμοί' στι ἐμὴ ἐστί ἐμ᾽ ἴσθι σοῦ μολεῖν ἄτερ.

ΦΙ.

ἔμβαλλε χειρὸς πίστιν.

NE.

ἐμβάλλω μενεῖν μένειν μενεῖν.

ΦΙ.

ἐκεῖσε νῦν μ᾽ μ' om., ἐκεῖσε

NE.

ποῖ λέγεις;

ΦΙ.

ἄνω

ΝΕ.

τί παραφρονεῖς αὖ; τί τὸν ἄνω λεύσσεις λεύσσεις (λεύσηισ pr.) λεύσσεις κύκλον ;
815

ΦΙ.

μέθες μέθες με.

NE.

ποῖ μεθῶ;

ΦΙ.

μέθες ποτέ.

ΝΕ.

οὔ φημ᾽ ἐάσειν.

ΦΙ.

ἀπό μ᾽ ὀλεῖς, ἢν προσθίγῃς.

ΝΕ.

καὶ δὴ μεθίημ', εἴ τι δὴ μεθείημι τί δὴ μεθίημι τι δὲ δὴ πλέον φρονεῖς.

ΦΙ.

ὦ γαῖα, δέξαι θανάσιμόν μ' ὅπως ἔχω·

τὸ γὰρ κακὸν τόδ᾽ οὐκέτ᾽ ὀρθοῦσθαί μ᾽ ἐᾷ.
820

ΝΕ.

τὸν ἄνδ᾽ ἔοικεν ὕπνος οὐ μακροῦ χρόνου

ἕξειν· κάρα γὰρ ὑπτιάζεται τόδε.

ἱδρώς γέ τοί νιν πᾶν καταστάζει δέμας,

μέλαινά τ᾽ ἄκρου τις παρέρρωγεν ποδὸς

ΣΟΦΟΚΛΕΟΥΣ

αἱμορραγὴς φλέψ. ἀλλ᾽ ἐάσωμεν, φίλοι,

825

ἕκηλον αὐτόν, ὡς ἂν εἰς ὕπνον πέσῃ.

ΧΟ.

στρ.

Greek (F. Storr, 1912) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (F. Storr, 1912)) — 730-826 focus

Νεοπτόλεμος

ἕρπʼ, εἰ θέλεις. τί δή ποθʼ ὧδʼ ἐξ οὐδενὸς
730

λόγου σιωπᾷς κἀπόπληκτος ὧδʼ ἔχει;

Φιλοκτήτης

ἀᾶ, ἀᾶ.

Νεοπτόλεμος

τί δʼ ἔστιν;

Φιλοκτήτης

οὐδὲν δεινόν· ἀλλʼ ἴθʼ, ὦ τέκνον.

Νεοπτόλεμος

μῶν ἄλγος ἴσχεις τῆς παρεστώσης νόσου;

Φιλοκτήτης

οὐ δῆτʼ ἔγωγʼ, ἀλλʼ ἄρτι κουφίζειν δοκῶ. ὦ θεοί.
735

Νεοπτόλεμος

τί τοὺς θεοὺς ὧδʼ ἀναστένων καλεῖς;

Φιλοκτήτης

σωτῆρας αὐτοὺς ἠπίους θʼ ἡμῖν μολεῖν. ἀᾶ, ἀᾶ.

Νεοπτόλεμος

τί ποτε πέπονθας; οὐκ ἐρεῖς, ἀλλʼ ὧδʼ ἔσει
740

σιγηλός; ἐν κακῷ δέ τῳ φαίνει κυρῶν.

Φιλοκτήτης

ἀπόλωλα, τέκνον, κοὐ δυνήσομαι κακὸν

κρύψαι παρʼ ὑμῖν, ἀτταταῖ· διέρχεται

διέρχεται. δύστηνος, ὦ τάλας ἐγώ.

ἀπόλωλα, τέκνον· βρύκομαι, τέκνον· παπαῖ,
745

ἀπαππαπαῖ, παπαππαπαππαπαππαπαῖ.

πρὸς θεῶν, πρόχειρον εἴ τί σοι, τέκνον, πάρα

ξίφος χεροῖν, πάταξον εἰς ἄκρον πόδα·

ἀπάμησον ὡς τάχιστα· μὴ φείσῃ βίου. ἴθʼ, ὦ παῖ.

Νεοπτόλεμος

τί δʼ ἔστιν οὕτω νεοχμὸν ἐξαίφνης, ὅτου

τοσήνδʼ ἰυγὴν καὶ στόνον σαυτοῦ ποεῖ;

Φιλοκτήτης

οἶσθʼ, ὦ τέκνον;

Νεοπτόλεμος

τί δʼ ἔστιν;

Φιλοκτήτης

οἶσθʼ, ὦ παῖ;

Νεοπτόλεμος

τί σοί;

οὐκ οἶδα.

Φιλοκτήτης

πῶς οὐκ οἶσθα; παππαπαππαπαῖ.

Νεοπτόλεμος

δεινόν γε τοὐπίσαγμα τοῦ νοσήματος.
755

Φιλοκτήτης

δεινὸν γὰρ οὐδὲ ῥητόν· ἀλλʼ οἴκτιρέ με.

Νεοπτόλεμος

τί δῆτα δράσω;

Φιλοκτήτης

μή με ταρβήσας προδῷς·

ἥκει γὰρ αὕτη διὰ χρόνου πλάνοις ἴσως

ὡς ἐξεπλήσθη.

Νεοπτόλεμος

ἰὼ ἰὼ δύστηνε σύ,

δύστηνε δῆτα διὰ πόνων πάντων φανείς.
760

βούλει λάβωμαι δῆτα καὶ θίγω τί σου;

Φιλοκτήτης

μὴ δῆτα τοῦτό γʼ· ἀλλά μοι τὰ τόξʼ ἑλὼν

τάδʼ, ὥσπερ ᾐτοῦ μʼ ἀρτίως, ἕως ἀνῇ

τὸ πῆμα τοῦτο τῆς νόσου τὸ νῦν παρόν,
765

σῷζʼ αὐτὰ καὶ φύλασσε. λαμβάνει γὰρ οὖν

ὕπνος μʼ, ὅταν περ τὸ κακὸν ἐξίῃ τόδε·

κοὐκ ἔστι λῆξαι πρότερον· ἀλλʼ ἐᾶν χρεὼν

ἕκηλον εὕδειν. ἢν δὲ τῷδε τῷ χρόνῳ

μόλωσʼ ἐκεῖνοι, πρὸς θεῶν ἐφίεμαι
770

ἑκόντα μηδʼ ἄκοντα μηδέ τῳ τέχνῃ

κείνοις μεθεῖναι ταῦτα, μὴ σαυτόν θʼ ἅμα

κἄμʼ, ὄντα σαυτοῦ πρόστροπον, κτείνας γένῃ.

Νεοπτόλεμος

θάρσει προνοίας οὕνεκʼ· οὐ δοθήσεται

πλὴν σοί τε κἀμοί· ξὺν τύχῃ δὲ πρόσφερε.
775

Φιλοκτήτης

ἰδοὺ δέχου, παῖ· τὸν φθόνον δὲ πρόσκυσον

μή σοι γενέσθαι πολύπονʼ αὐτὰ μηδʼ ὅπως

ἐμοί τε καὶ τῷ πρόσθʼ ἐμοῦ κεκτημένῳ.

Νεοπτόλεμος

ὦ θεοί, γένοιτο ταῦτα νῷν· γένοιτο δὲ

πλοῦς οὔριός τε κεὐσταλὴς ὅποι ποτὲ
780

θεὸς δικαιοῖ χὠ στόλος πορσύνεται.

782

Φιλοκτήτης

ἀλλʼ οὖν δέδοικα μὴ ἀτέλεστʼ εὔχῃ, τέκνον.

στάζει γὰρ αὖ μοι φοίνιον τόδʼ ἐκ βυθοῦ

κηκῖον αἷμα, καί τι προσδοκῶ νέον.

παπαῖ, φεῦ.
785

παπαῖ μάλʼ, ὦ πούς, οἷά μʼ ἐργάσει κακά.

προσέρπει,

προσέρχεται τόδʼ ἐγγύς. οἴμοι μοι τάλας.

ἔχετε τὸ πρᾶγμα· μὴ φύγητε μηδαμῇ.

ἀτταταῖ.
790

ὦ ξένε Κεφαλλήν, εἴθε σου διαμπερὲς

στέρνων ἔχοιτʼ ἄλγησις ἥδε. φεῦ, παπαῖ,

παπαῖ μάλʼ αὖθις. ὦ διπλοῖ στρατηλάται,

Ἀγάμεμνον, ὦ Μενέλαε, πῶς ἂν ἀντʼ ἐμοῦ

τὸν ἴσον χρόνον τρέφοιτε τήνδε τὴν νόσον; ἰώ μοι.
795

ὦ Θάνατε Θάνατε, πῶς ἀεὶ καλούμενος

οὕτω κατʼ ἦμαρ, οὐ δύνᾳ μολεῖν ποτε;

ὦ τέκνον ὦ γενναῖον, ἀλλὰ συλλαβὼν

τῷ Λημνίῳ τῷδʼ ἀνακαλουμένῳ πυρὶ
800

ἔμπρησον, ὦ γενναῖε· κἀγώ τοί ποτε

τὸν τοῦ Διὸς παῖδʼ ἀντὶ τῶνδε τῶν ὅπλων,

ἃ νῦν σὺ σῴζεις, τοῦτʼ ἐπηξίωσα δρᾶν. τί φής, παῖ;

τί φής; τί σιγᾷς; ποῦ ποτʼ ὤν, τέκνον, κυρεῖς;
805

806

Νεοπτόλεμος

ἀλγῶ πάλαι δὴ τἀπὶ σοὶ στένων κακά.

Φιλοκτήτης

ἀλλʼ, ὦ τέκνον, καὶ θάρσος ἴσχʼ· ὡς ἥδε μοι

ὀξεῖα φοιτᾷ καὶ ταχεῖʼ ἀπέρχεται.

ἀλλʼ ἀντιάζω, μή με καταλίπῃς μόνον.

Νεοπτόλεμος

θάρσει, μενοῦμεν.
810

Φιλοκτήτης

ἦ μενεῖς;

Νεοπτόλεμος

σαφῶς φρόνει.

Φιλοκτήτης

οὐ μήν σʼ ἔνορκόν γʼ ἀξιῶ θέσθαι, τέκνον.

Νεοπτόλεμος

ὡς οὐ θέμις γʼ ἐμοὔστι σοῦ μολεῖν ἄτερ.

Φιλοκτήτης

ἔμβαλλε χειρὸς πίστιν.

Νεοπτόλεμος

ἐμβάλλω μενεῖν.

Φιλοκτήτης

ἐκεῖσε νῦν μʼ, ἐκεῖσε

Νεοπτόλεμος

ποῖ λέγεις;

Φιλοκτήτης

ἄνω

Νεοπτόλεμος

τί παραφρονεῖς αὖ; τί τὸν ἄνω λεύσσεις κύκλον;
815

Φιλοκτήτης

μέθες μέθες με.

Νεοπτόλεμος

ποῖ μεθῶ;

Φιλοκτήτης

μέθες ποτέ.

Νεοπτόλεμος

οὔ φημʼ ἐάσειν.

Φιλοκτήτης

ἀπό μʼ ὀλεῖς, ἢν προσθίγῃς.

Νεοπτόλεμος

καὶ δὴ μεθίημʼ, εἴ τι δὴ πλέον φρονεῖς.

Φιλοκτήτης

ὦ γαῖα, δέξαι θανάσιμόν μʼ ὅπως ἔχω

τὸ γὰρ κακὸν τόδʼ οὐκέτʼ ὀρθοῦσθαί μʼ ἐᾷ.
820

Νεοπτόλεμος

τὸν ἄνδρʼ ἔοικεν ὕπνος οὐ μακροῦ χρόνου

ἕξειν· κάρα γὰρ ὑπτιάζεται τόδε·

ἱδρώς γέ τοί νιν πᾶν καταστάζει δέμας,

μέλαινά τʼ ἄκρου τις παρέρρωγεν ποδὸς

αἱμορραγὴς φλέψ. ἀλλʼ ἐάσωμεν, φίλοι,
825

ἕκηλον αὐτόν, ὡς ἂν εἰς ὕπνον πέσῃ.

Translations (5)

English (Lewis Campbell, 1906) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Lewis Campbell, 1906)) — 730 focus

Prithee, come on! Why dost thou stand aghast,
715

Voiceless, and thus astonied in thine air?

PHI

Oh! oh!

NEO

What?

PHI

Nothing. Come my son, fear nought.

NEO

Is pain upon thee? Hath thy trouble come?
720

PHI

No pain, no pain! ’Tis past; I am easy now.

Ye heavenly powers!

NEO

Why dost thou groan aloud,

And cry to Heaven?

PHI

To come and save. Kind Heaven!

Oh, oh!
725

NEO

What is ’t? Why silent? Wilt not speak?

I see thy misery.

PHI

Oh! I am lost, my son!

I cannot hide it from you. Oh! it shoots,

It pierces. Oh unhappy! Oh! my woe!
730

I am lost, my son, I am devoured. Oh me!

Oh! Oh! Oh! Oh! Pain! pain! Oh pain! oh pain!

Child, if a sword be to thine hand, smite hard,

Shear off my foot! heed not my life! Quick, come!

NEO

What hath so suddenly arisen, that thus

Thou mak’st ado and groanest o’er thyself?

PHI

Thou knowest.

NEO

What know I?
740

PHI

O! thou knowest, my son!

NEO

I know not.

PHI

How? Not know? Ah me! Pain, pain!

NEO

Thy plague is a sore burden, heavy and sore.

PHI

Sore? ’Tis unutterable. Have pity on me!
745

NEO

What shall I do?

PHI

Do not in fear forsake me.

This wandering evil comes in force again,

Hungry as ere it fed.

NEO

O hapless one!
750

Thrice hapless in thy manifold distress!

What wilt thou? Shall I raise thee on mine arm?

PHI

Nay, but receiving from my hand the bow,

As late thou didst desire me, keep it safe

And guard it, till the fury of my pain
755

Pass over me and cease. For when ’tis spent,

Slumber will seize me, else it ne’er would end.

I must sleep undisturbed. But if meanwhile

They come,—by Heaven I charge thee, in no wise,

Willingly nor perforce, let them have this!
760

Else thou wilt be the slayer of us both;

Of me thy suppliant, and of thyself.

NEO

Fear not my care. No hand shall hold these arms

But thine and mine. Give, and Heaven bless the deed!
765

PHI

I give them; there, my son! But look to Heaven

And pray no envy smite thee, nor such bane

In having them, as fell on me and him

Who bore them formerly.

NEO

O grant it, Gods!

And grant us fair and happy voyage, where’er
770

Our course is shaped and righteous Heaven shall guide.

PHI

Ah! but I fear, my son, thy prayer is vain:

For welling yet again from depths within,

This gory ooze is dripping. It will come!

I know it will. O, foot, torn helpless thing,
785

What wilt thou do to me? Ah! ah! It comes,

It is at hand. ’Tis here! Woe’s me, undone!

I have shown you all. Stay near me. Go not far:

Ah! ah!

O island king, I would this agony
790

Might cleave thy bosom through and through! Woe, woe!

Woe! Ah! ye two commanders of the host,

Agamemnon, Menelaüs, O that ye,

Another ten years’ durance in my room
795

Might nurse this malady! O Death, Death, Death!

I call thee daily—wilt thou never come?

Will it not be?—My son, thou noble boy,

If thou art noble, take and burn me there

Aloft in yon all-worshipped Lemnian fire!
800

Yea, when the bow thou keep’st was my reward,

I did like service for the child of Heaven.

How now, my son?

What say’st? Art silent? Where—where art thou, boy?

NEO

My heart is full, and groaning o’er thy woes.

PHI

Nay, yet have comfort. This affliction oft

Goes no less swiftly than it came. I pray thee,

Stand fast and leave me not alone!

NEO

Fear nought.
810

We will not stir.
810

PHI

Wilt thou remain?

NEO

Be sure of it.

PHI

I’ll not degrade thee with an oath, my son.

NEO

Rest satisfied. I may not go without thee.

PHI

Thy hand, to pledge me that!

NEO

There, I will stay.

PHI

Now, now, aloft!

NEO

Where mean’st thou?

PHI

Yonder aloft!

NEO

Whither? Thou rav’st. Why starest thou at the sky?
815

PHI

Now, let me go.

NEO

Where?

PHI

Let me go, I say!

NEO

I will not.

PHI

You will kill me. Let me go!

NEO

Well, thou know’st best I hold thee not.

PHI

O Earth,

I die. receive me to thy breast! This pain

Subdues me utterly, I cannot stand.
820

NEO

Methinks he will be fast in slumber soon

That head sinks backward, and a clammy sweat

Bathes all his limbs, while from his foot hath burst

A vein, dark bleeding. Let us leave him, friends,

In quietness, till he hath fallen to sleep.

CHORUS
CHORUS

German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review) (OCR draft) Experimental (German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review)) — 730 focus

Komm, wenn du willst. Warum verstummst du plözlich so

Was hält dich also starr und stumm?

Ohn' allen Grund?

Ah, ah, ah, ah!

Was hast du?
705

Philoktetes.

Gar nichts Arges: geh nur weiter, Sohn!

Neoptolemos.

Wohl fühlst du Schmerzen, da die Krankheit nahe dringt?

Philoktetes.

Nein, wahrlich! Eben, mein' ich, wird mir's leichter schon.

Ihr Götter, o!

Was russt du so die Götter tiefausseufzend an?

Sie sollen hülfreich lindernd uns als Retter nah'n.
710

Ah, ah, ah, ah!

Neoptolemos.

Was widerfuhr dir? Sagst du's nicht? Verharrst du ganz

In Schweigen? Denn ein Leiden quält dich offenbar.

Ich bin verloren!

Philoktetes.

Nimmer kann ich, Sohn, die Qual

Vor euch verhehlen. Götter, ha! Durch dringt sie, durch,
715

Durch dringt sie: weh, ich Armer, Unglückseliger!

Ach Kind, o weh! Ich bin verloren! Wie es zehrt!

Ach wehe, weh! Weh, weh, o weh! Ach wehe, weh!

Bei allen Göttern, wenn du hier in der Nähe, Sohn,

Zur Hand ein Schwert hast, triff des Fußes Spize; flugs,
720

Flugs hau' ihn ab, und schone meines Lebens nicht!

O thu's, Kind!

Neoptolemos.

Welch neues Grauen faßte dich so plözlich, daß

Du solch Gewinsel und Gestöhn um dich erhebst?

Du weißt, o Kind
725

Was?

Nichts weiß ich.

Philoktetes.

Sohn, du weißt - Was red' ich noch?

Wie? Du weißt es nicht? Ach wehe, weh!

Neoptolemos.

Schwer drückt der Krankheit Bürde dich, Unglücklicher!

Philoktetes.

Schwer wahrlich, graunvoll, namenlos: erbarm dich mein!

Was kann ich thun? Erschrocken, laß nicht ab von mir:

In gleichem Irrlauf kommt der Schmerz nach langer Frist,
730

Sobald er sich gesättigt.

Neoptolemos.

Ach, Unseliger,

Durch all die Leiden offenbar Unseliger!

Verlangst du, daß ich fassen dich und halten soll?

Philoktetes.

Nicht dies verlang' ich; aber nimm den Bogen hier,

Wie du mich eben batest, und bis diese Pein
735

Des Leidens nachläßt, dessen Wuth mich jezt befiel,

Bewahre mir und hüt' ihn. Denn mich faßt der Schlaf,

Sobald die Qual ihr vorbestimmtes Ziel erreicht;

Und früher ist kein Ende. Doch dann lasse man

Mich ruhig schlummern. Aber wenn in dieser Zeit
740

Die Männer kommen, dann, bei Zeus, gebiet' ich dir:

Nicht willig, noch gezwungen, noch durch List verlockt,

Laß ihnen diesen, daß du nicht zugleich dich selbst

Und mich ermordest, deinen Schuzbefohlenen.

Neoptolemos.

Auf meine Vorsicht darfst du bau'n; nur ich und du
745

Empfangen ihn; mit gutem Glücke reich' ihn her!

Philoktetes.

Hier, nimm ihn; doch versöhne, Kind, der Götter Neid,¹

Daß dir die Wehr nicht Schmerzen, nicht Verderben bringt,

Wie mir und jenem, welcher sie vor mir besaß.

Neoptolemos.

Götter, dies verleihet uns; verleihet ihr
750

Uns frohe Fahrt mit gutem Wind, wohin ein Gott

Uns will geleiten und der Zug bereitet wird!

Philoktetes.

Ich fürchte, Jüngling, dein Gebet wird eitel sein:

Denn wieder quillt aus tiefer Wunde mir das Blut

In dunkeln Tropfen, und mir ahnt ein neuer Sturm.
755

weh! Ach!

Weh, wehe, Fuß! Ha, welche Marter schaffst du mir!

Es schleicht her,

Es dringt heran stets näher; weh mir Armen, weh!

Da seht ihr Alles; aber, ach, flieht nicht von mir!
760

Ah, ah, ah!

Kephallener, möchte doch an deiner Brust

Durchbohrend hasten dieser Schmerz! Ach wehe, weh!

Ja, wehe nochmals! Und des Heers Anführer ihr,

Agamemnon und Menelaos, daß an meiner Statt
765

Ihr diese Krankheit nährtet, und gleich lange Zeit!

Weh, weh mir!

O Tod, o Tod! Du, den ich also jeden Tag

Ohn' Unterlaß anrufe, was erscheinst du nie?

Mein Trauter du, mein Edler, komm und fasse mich,
770

Verbrenne mich in Lemnos' Flammengluten dort,

Den oft von mir geruf'nen! Hab' ich selber doch

Dem Sohn Kronions ehemals für diese Wehr,

Die jezo du bewahrest, gleichen Dienst erzeigt.

sprich, Sohn! sprich!
775

Du schweigst? Wo waren deine Sinne, Kind?

Neoptolemos.

Schon lange leid' ich und bejammre dein Geschick.

Philoktetes.

Doch sei getrost auch, theures Kind; denn diese Qual

Ist immer heftig, wenn sie kommt, und scheidet schnell.

Nur Eines bitt' ich, laß allein mich nicht zurück.
780

Getrost! Ich bleibe.

Bleibst du?

Neoptolemos.

Traue meinem Wort.

Philoktetes.

Durch einen Eidschwur will ich dich nicht binden, Sohn.

Neoptolemos.

Ist, ohne dich zu kommen, mir doch nicht erlaubt.

Philoktetes.

Gib mir die Hand zum Pfande.

(ihm die Hand reichend)

Neoptolemos.

Nimm! Ich bleibe hier.

(seine Hand haltend, und nach der höher liegenden Felsenhöhle deutend)

Philoktetes.

Dorthin
785

ja dorthin
785

Neoptolemos.

Wie? Wohin?
785

Philoktetes.

Nach oben dort
785

Neoptolemos.

Wie sprichst du sinnlos, schaust die Sonne droben an?

Philoktetes.

laß mich, laß mich -

Neoptolemos.

Und wohin?

Philoktetes.

laß mich doch!

Neoptolemos.

Ich muß dich halten.

Philoktetes.

Dein Berühren tödtet mich.

(läßt seine Hand los)

Neoptolemos.

Nun, bist du deiner mehr bewußt, so lass' ich dich.

Philoktetes.

nimm mich, Erde, wie ich bin, den Sterbenden!
790

Denn nimmer aufrecht stehen läßt mich diese Qual.

(er sinkt zurück und entschlummert.)

Neoptolemos.

In kurzer Zeit, so scheint es, wird der Schlaf den Mann

Befallen: auf den Nacken sinkt sein Haupt zurück;

Herab in Tropfen quillt der Schweiß am ganzen Leib,

Und unterhalb am Fuße brach die Ader auf,
795

Das schwarze Blut ausströmend. Laßt, o Freunde, denn

Ihn ruhig liegen, daß er sinkt in süßen Schlaf.

Strophe.

Der Chor.

English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759)) — 730 focus

Come, Philoctetes; why thus silent? Wherefore
715

This sudden terror on thee ?

Philoctetes

Oh !

Neoptolemus

Whence is it ?

Philoctetes

Nothing, my son ; go on !

Neoptolemus

Is it thy wound
720

That pains thee thus ?
720

Philoctetes

No ; I am better now.

O gods !

Neoptolemus

Why dost thou call thus on the gods ?

Philoctetes

To smile propitious, and preserve us Oh !

Neoptolemus

Thou art in misery. Tell me — wilt thou not ?

What is it?

Philoctetes

O my son ! I can no longer

Conceal it from thee. Oh ! I die, I perish ;

By the great gods let me implore thee, now

This moment, if thou hast a sword, oh ! strike,

Cut off this painful limb, and end my being !

Neoptolemus

What can this mean, that unexpected thus

It should torment thee 1

Philoctetes

Know you not, my son ?

Neoptolemus

What is the cause ?
740

Philoctetes

Can you not guess it?

Neoptolemus

No.

Philoctetes

Nor I.

Neoptolemus

That's stranger still.

Philoctetes

My son, my son !
745

Neoptolemus

This new attack is terrible indeed !

Philoctetes

'Tis inexpressible ! Have pity on me !

Neoptolemus

What shall I do ?

Philoctetes

Do not be terrified,

And leave me. Its returns are regular,

And like tl>p traveller, when its appetite

Is satisfied, it will depart. Oh ! oh !

Neoptolemus

Thou art oppressed with ills on every side.

Give me thy hand. Come, wilt thou lean upon me?
765

Philoctetes

No; but these arrows, take; preserve 'em {<>;

me.

A little while, till I grow better. Sleep

Is coming on me, and my pains will cease.

Tvet mo ])e quiet. If meantime our foes

Surprise thee, let nor force nor artifice

Deprive thee of the great, the precious trust

I have reposed in thee ; that were ruin

To thee, and to thy friend.

Neoptolemus

Be not afraid —

No hands but mine shall touch them ; give them to me.

Philoctetes

Receive them, son ; and let it be thy prayer

They bring not woes on thee, as they have done

To me and to Alcides.

Neoptolemus
[Gives him the how and a/rroics.

May the gods

Forbid it ever ! May they guide our course

And speed our prosperous sails !

Philoctetes

Alas ! my son,

I fear thy vows are vain. Behold my blood

Flows from the w^ound ? Oh ! how it pains me ! Now

It comes, it hastens ! Do not, do not leave me !

Oh ! that Ulysses felt this racking torture,

K'en to his inmost soul ! Again it comes !

Should not you bear these pangs as I have done 1

O death ! where art thou, death? so often called,

Wilt thou not listen ? wilt thou never come ?

Take thou the Lemnian fire, my generous friend,

Do me the same kind office which I did

For my Alcides. These are thy reward ;

He gave them to me. Thou alone deservest

The great inheritance. What says my friend ?

What says my dear preserver ] Oh ! where art thou ?

Neoptolemus
() Agamemnon ! Menelaus ! why

I mourn thy hapless fate.
810

Philoctetes

Be of good cheer,

Quick my disorder comes, and goes as soon ;

I only beg thee not to leave me here.

Neoptolemus

Depend on 't, I will stay.

Philoctetes

Wilt thou indeed ?

Neoptolemus

Trust me, I will.

Philoctetes

I need not bind thee to it

By oath.

Ned. Oh, no ! 'twere impious to forsake thee.

Philoctetes

Give me thy hand, and pledge thy faith.

Ned. I do.

Philoctetes

Thither, oh, thither lead !

Ned. What sayst thou ? where 1

Philoctetes
\Pointing up to heaven.

Above.

Neoptolemus

What, lost again ? Why lookst thou thus
815

On that bright circle 1
815

Philoctetes

Let me, let me go !

Neoptolemus

[lays hold o/him]. Where wouldst thou go ?

Philoctetes

Loose me.

Neoptolemus

I will not.

Philoctetes

Oh !

You'll kill me, if you do not.

Neoptolemus

[lets him go]. There, then ; now

Is thy mind better ?

Philoctetes

Oh ! receive me, earth !

Receive a dymg man. Here must I lie ;

For, oh ! my pain 's so great I cannot rise.
820

the entrance of the cave.
820

Neoptolemus
Scene II.

Chorus.

Neoptolemus

English (Robert Potter, 1788) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Robert Potter, 1788)) — 730 focus

For my disease thy aiding hand desires.

Chorus

PHILOCTETES, returning from the
715

cave; CHORUS.

Neoptolemus

Why this delay? Move onward. What the cause

Of this thy silence? Whence this deep dismay?

Neoptolemus

What ill afflicts thee?
720

Philoctetes

Nothing great: go one

Neoptolemus

Wou'dst thou suppress the pain of thy disease?

Philoctetes

Oh, no; I now feel lighter. O ye gods!

Neoptolemus

Why with such groans dost thou invoke the gods?

Philoctetes

To save us with their kind and guardian pow'r.

He groans repeatedly.

Neoptolemus

What may this be? Wilt thou not speak? Thus lon

Why art thou silent? Piercing seems thy pain.

Philoctetes

Oh, this exceeds the pow'r of man to bear!

Nor from you longer can I hide my ill.

Oh, I am pierced, pierced through! Unhappy me!

I cannot bear these agonizing pains.

Repeated and violent groans.

Hast thou a sword, my son? Cut off my foot,

Quick, hew it off, nor spare this wretched life.

Neoptolemus

What are these new and sudden ills, that cause
740

Such dreadful cries, and loud-lamenting groans?
740

Philoctetes

Know'st thou, my son...

Know what?

Know'st thou, my son...

Neoptolemus

What wou'dst thou ask?

Philoctetes

I know not.

Neoptolemus

How not know?

Philoctetes groans again.

Neoptolemus

How dreadful the attack of thy disease!

Philoctetes

Dreadful indeed: words cannot speak its force.

But pity me.

Neoptolemus

What wou'dst thou I should do?

Philoctetes

Be not astonish'd, nor abandon me,"

Neoptolemus

At intervals, like ruffians keen to seize

Their prey, its cruel inroads it will make

Till it be sated.

O unhappy man,
765

In all thy toils unhappy! Shall my hand
765

Support thee?...
765

Philoctetes

No: I would not that: but take

The bow, which lately thou didst wish to touch,

And, till the pains, which pierce me now, abate,

Hold it, and guard it well; for when the force

Of this disease begins to be allay'd,

Sleep seizes me; till then I have no pause.

From gnawing pain; permit me then to lie

In undisturb'd repose; and, should they come,

Mean while, I beg thee by th' immortal gods

Let not persuasion, force, or all their arts,

Work thee to yield it to them; for thyself,

And me thy suppliant else thou wilt destroy.

Neoptolemus

In my attentive care confide; to none,

Save to thy hands and mine, shall it be giv’n.
770

Consign it to me: happy be the trust!

Philoctetes

Take it, my son; and be thy vows address'di,ז

To Envy, that to thee it cause not toils,

Such as to me, and to its former lord.

Neoptolemus

Grant this, ye gods! And may a favouring gale

Arise, and safely bear us to the land

Sought by our sails, and by the gods assign'd

Philoctetes
FAIT

These vows, my son, I fear thou hast address'd

Without effect; for the black blood again

Spouts from the bottom of my wound; I dread

Anguish unknown before. Unhappy me,

What torture this! It thrills, it darts along,

It is not to be borne. You see my state;

But fly not; leave me not abandon'd here. I

Thou Cephallenian savage, might this pain

Pierce through thy breast, quite through! Ye brother kings,

Leaders of Greece, for such a length of time,

For me such anguish how had you sustain'd?

O death, O death, each day so oft invoked,

Canst thou ne'er come? My son, thou generous youth,

Oh take me, burn me in these whirling flames

Of Lemnos; which sad office for the son

Of Jove these hands refused not to perform,

These arms receiving as my meed. My son,

Why art thou silent? What employs thy thoughts?

Neoptolemus

Long have I griev'd, and mourn'd thy painful ills.
810

Philoctetes

Let not that shake thy firmness; for these pains

Oft come thus keen, and soon are gone again.

But, I entreat thee, leave me not alone.

Neoptolemus

Be confident; for thee we here will stay.

Philoctetes

And will you stay?

Neoptolemus

Be thou assured we will.

Philoctetes

Ill it becomes me to require thy oath.

Neoptolemus

To go without thee were an impious deed.

Philoctetes

Give me thy hand to ratify thy faith.

Neoptolemus

I give it as a pledge that I will stay.

Philoctetes

There, let me there......

What say'st thou?

"There on high......

Neoptolemus

This is distraction. Wherefore are thine eyes
815

Philoctetes

Fix'd on that orb above?

Neoptolemus

Why should I let thee go?

Philoctetes

Off, let me go.

Unhand me, off.

Neoptolemus

I cannot quit thee in this hapless state.

Philoctetes

You kill me if you touch me.

Neoptolemus

To thyself

I leave thee....... Are thy spirits now more calm?

Philoctetes

O earth, receive me dying as I lie;

My ills will never let me rise again.
820

Neoptolemus

Sleep soon will steal upon him: see, his head

Already he reclines; and all his limbs

Are bath'd with sweat; the black distended vein

Is burst, and from his foot out-wells the gore.

Let us allow him then, my friends, to rest
825

In quiet, soon as sleep shall close his eyes.

Chorus

English (Sir Richard Jebb, 1904) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Sir Richard Jebb, 1904)) — 730-825 focus

Neoptolemus

Please, come on. Why so silent with no apparent cause? And why are you paralyzed?
730

Philoctetes

Ai, ai!

Neoptolemus

What is the matter?

Philoctetes

Nothing serious—go on, son.

Neoptolemus

Are you in pain from the disease that frequents you?

Philoctetes

No, indeed no. I think it is better now.—Gods, oh!
735

Neoptolemus

Why do you groan like this and call on the gods?

Philoctetes

That they may come to me with power to save and soothe.—Ai! Ai!

Neoptolemus

What troubles you? Speak, do not keep so silent. It is plain enough that you are suffering somehow.
740

Philoctetes

I am destroyed, boy—I can never conceal my suffering when you are close. Ah! Ah! It shoots through me, shoots straight through! Oh, the pain,the misery!

I am destroyed, boy—I am devoured! Ah, by the gods I beg you, if you have a sword ready to hand, strike at my ankle—cut it off now! Do not spare my life!
745

Quick, boy, quick!
750

Neoptolemus

What new thing has come on you so suddenly that you wail for yourself with these loud shrieks?

Philoctetes

You know, son.

Neoptolemus

What is it?

Philoctetes

You know, boy.

Neoptolemus

What ails you? I do not know.

Philoctetes

How could you not know? Oh, oh!

Neoptolemus

Yes, terrible is the burden of your disease.
755

Philoctetes

Terrible beyond telling! Oh, pity me!

Neoptolemus

What shall I do?

Philoctetes

Do not betray me because of fear. This plague comes only now and then,—perhaps when she has been sated with her roamings elsewhere.

Neoptolemus

Ah, poor wretch! Poor man, truly for all your sufferings! Shall I support you, or somehow offer a helping hand?

Philoctetes

No, no. But take this bow of mine—as you earlier asked of me—and keep it in your care and safe

until this present bout with my disease is past. For indeed sleep takes me as soon as this pain passes away, nor can it cease before then. But you must allow me to sleep in peace. And if
765

those men come in the meantime, then by the gods I forbid you willingly or unwillingly, or by any skilled trickery, to give up this bow to them, lest you bring destruction at once on yourself and on me, who am your suppliant.
770

Neoptolemus

Have no fears as to my caution. The bow shall pass

into no hands but yours and mine. Give it to me, and may good luck accompany it!
775

Philoctetes

There, take it boy. And humble yourself before the jealous gods, so that the bow may not prove baneful for you, as it did for me and for him who owned it before me.

Neoptolemus

O gods, grant this to the two of us! And grant us a voyage

prosperous and unimpeded, to whatever goal the god may deem right and that our mission provides!
780

782

Philoctetes

Futile, I fear, are your prayers, boy. Look, once again the dark blood is oozing drop by drop from deep in the wound, and I look for worse to come.

Ah, me, oh, oh! Cursed foot, what torment you cause me! It creeps on me, it is coming near! Ah, misery! Now you know my condition. Do not flee, no!
785

Oh, alas! Odysseus of Cephallene, once my friend, would that this anguish might stick to you, and pierce your chest! Ah, me! Ah, me! O you twin marshalls, Agamemnon, and you, Menelaus, may your flesh instead of mine
790

nourish this plague, and for as long! Oh, Ah, me! O Death, Death, though I am always summoning you day after day, why do you never come? O son, noble youth, seize me,
795

burn me up, true friend, in that fire famed as Lemnian. I, too, once deemed it lawful to do that very service for the son of Zeus, in return for which I received these same arms, which are now in your keeping. What do you say, boy, what do you say?
800

Why this silence? Where are your thoughts, son?
805

806

Neoptolemus

My heart has long been aching for your load of pain.

Philoctetes

Stop, then, and take courage; this visitor comes sharply, but goes quickly. Yet, I beg you, do not leave me alone.

Neoptolemus

Take heart, we will remain.
810

Philoctetes

Will you?

Neoptolemus

Be sure of it.

Philoctetes

Indeed, I do not think it right to put you under oath.

Neoptolemus

Rest assured; it is not lawful for me to leave without you.

Philoctetes

Give me your hand in pledge!

Neoptolemus

I give it—to stay.

Philoctetes

Now take me there, over there!

Neoptolemus

Where do you mean?

Philoctetes

Up there!

Neoptolemus

What is this new delirium? Why do you gaze at the dome above us?
815

Philoctetes

Let me go, let me go!

Neoptolemus

Where will you go, if I do so?

Philoctetes

Let me go, I say!

Neoptolemus

I will not.

Philoctetes

You will kill me, if you touch me further.

Neoptolemus

There, then, I release you—if in fact you believe it is for the better.

Philoctetes

Wide Earth, embrace me now on the verge of death!

This pain no longer lets me stand up.
820

Neoptolemus

Sleep, I think, will take him before long. See, his head sinks backward. Yes, a sweat runs over his whole body, and a dark, hemorrhaging vein has burst from his heel.

Come, friends, let us leave him in quietness, so that he may fall asleep.
825

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

730-826

814-818

Current edition Experimental

ἕρπ᾽, εἰ θέλεις. τί δή ποθ' ὧδ᾽ ἐξ οὐδενὸς 715 λόγου σιωπᾷς κἀπόπληκτος ὧδ᾽ ἔχει;

ΦΙ. ἃ ἃ, ἃ ἆ. ἀ á á a 'â â â adda a

ΝΕ. τί ἔστιν ;

ΦΙ. οὐδὲν δεινόν. ἀλλ᾽ ἴθ᾽, ὦ τέκνον.

ΝΕ. μῶν ἄλγος ἴσχεις ἴσχει τῆς παρεστώσης νόσου ; 720

ΦΙ. οὐ δῆτ᾽ ἔγωγ', ἀλλ᾽ ἄρτι κουφίζειν δοκῶ. ὦ θεοί. ἰὼ θεοί

NE. τί τοὺς θεοὺς θεοὺς οὕτως ἀναστένων καλεῖς βοᾷς ;

ΦΙ. σωτῆρας αὐτοὺς ἠπίους θ᾽ ἡμῖν μολεῖν. ἃ ἃ, ἃ ἆ. ả à ảá Corr. C². ad a 725

ΝΕ. τί ποτε πέπονθας; οὐκ ἐρεῖς, ἀλλ᾽ ὧδ᾽ ἔσει σιγηλός; ἐν κακῷ δέ τῳ φαίνει δὲ τῶι φαίνηι δὲ τῳ φαίνηι κυρῶν.

ΦΙ. ἀπόλωλα ο from ω ἀπόλωλα, τέκνον, κοὐ δυνήσομαι κακὸν κρύψαι παρ' ὑμῖν, ἀτταταῖ διέρχεται (.)διέρχεται, διέρχεται. δύστηνος, ὦ τάλας ἐγώ. 730

ΣΟΦΟΚΛΕΟΥΣ

ΝΕ. τί δ᾽ ἔστιν ἐστίν οὕτω νεοχμὸν ἐξαίφνης, ὅτου τοσήνδ᾽ ἰυγὴν καὶ στόνον σαυτοῦ ποιεῖς ποεῖς ποιεῖς ;

ΦΙ. οἶσθ᾽, ὦ τέκνον.

NE. τί τι ἔστιν; 740

ΦΙ. οἶσθ᾽, ὦ παῖ.

NE. τί σοί; οὐκ οἶδα.

ΦΙ. πῶς οὐκ οἶσθα, παππαπαππαπαῖ πάπ(π)απάπ(π)ᾶπαῖ παππᾶ παππᾶι παῖ πᾶ, πα πα πα.

ΝΕ. δεινόν γε τοὐπίσαγμα τοὐπείσαγμα τοῦ νοσήματος.

ΦΙ. δεινὸν γὰρ οὐδὲ ῥητόν· ἀλλ᾽ οἴκτειρέ με. 745

ΦΙΛΟΚΤΗΤΗΣ.

ΝΕ. τί δῆτα δράσω;

ΦΙ. μή με ταρβήσας προδῷς· ἥκει γὰρ αὕτη διὰ χρόνου πλάνοις ἴσως ὡς ὡσ ὡς ἐξεπλήσθη.

NE. ἰὼ ἰὼ δύστηνε σύ, 750 δύστηνε δῆτα add διὰ πόνων πάντων φανείς. βούλει λάβωμαι λάβωμαι δῆτα καὶ θίγω τί σου;

ΣΟΦΟΚΛΕΟΥΣ

ΝΕ. θάρσει προνοίας οἵνεκ'. οὐ δοθήσεται πλὴν σοί τε κἀμοί· ξὺν τύχῃ δὲ πρόσφερε. 765

ΦΙ. ἰδοὺ δέχου, παῖ· τὸν φθόνον δὲ πρόσκυσον, μή σοι γενέσθαι πολύπον αὐτά, μηδ᾽ ὅπως ὁμοίωσ ἐμοί τε καὶ τῷ τὸ τῷ πρόσθ᾽ ἐμοῦ κεκτημένῳ.

ΝΕ. ὦ θεοί, γένοιτο ταῦτα νῷν· γένοιτο δὲ πλοῦς οὔριός τε κεὐσταλής καὶ εὐσταλὴσ, ὅποι ποτὲ 770 θεὸς δικαιοῖ χώ στόλος πορσύνεται.

ΦΙ.

ἀλλὰ ἄλλα ἀλλὰ ἀλλ᾽ οὐ δέδοικ, ὦ a from a ὦ παῖ, μή μ' ἀτελὴς εὔχῃ εὐχή·

ΦΙΛΟΚΤΗΤΗΣ.

ΣΟΦΟΚΛΕΟΥΣ

ΝΕ.

ἀλγῶ πάλαι δὴ τἀπὶ σοὶ στένων κακά.

ΦΙ. ἀλλ᾽, ὦ τέκνον, καὶ θάρσος ἴσχ· ὡς ἥδε μοι ὀξεῖα φοιτᾷ καὶ ταχεῖ᾽ ἀπέρχεται ἐπέρχεται. ἀλλ᾽ ἀντιάζω, μή με καταλίπῃς καταλείπηισ καταλίπης μόνον.

ΝΕ. θάρσει, μενοῦμεν. 810

ΦΙ. ἢ μενεῖς;

NE. σαφῶς φρόνει.

ΦΙ. οὐ μήν σ᾽ ἔνορκόν γ'᾽ ἀξιῶ θέσθαι, τέκνον.

ΦΙΛΟΚΤΗΤΗΣ,

ΝΕ. ὡς οὐ θέμις γ᾽ ἐμοὔστι ἐμοί' στι ἐμὴ ἐστί ἐμ᾽ ἴσθι σοῦ μολεῖν ἄτερ.

ΦΙ. ἔμβαλλε χειρὸς πίστιν.

NE. ἐμβάλλω μενεῖν μένειν μενεῖν.

ΦΙ. ἐκεῖσε νῦν μ᾽ μ' om., ἐκεῖσε

NE. ποῖ λέγεις;

ΦΙ. ἄνω

ΝΕ. τί παραφρονεῖς αὖ; τί τὸν ἄνω λεύσσεις λεύσσεις (λεύσηισ pr.) λεύσσεις κύκλον ; 815

ΦΙ. μέθες μέθες με.

NE. ποῖ μεθῶ;

ΦΙ. μέθες ποτέ.

ΝΕ. οὔ φημ᾽ ἐάσειν.

ΦΙ. ἀπό μ᾽ ὀλεῖς, ἢν προσθίγῃς.

ΝΕ. καὶ δὴ μεθίημ', εἴ τι δὴ μεθείημι τί δὴ μεθίημι τι δὲ δὴ πλέον φρονεῖς.

ΦΙ. ὦ γαῖα, δέξαι θανάσιμόν μ' ὅπως ἔχω· τὸ γὰρ κακὸν τόδ᾽ οὐκέτ᾽ ὀρθοῦσθαί μ᾽ ἐᾷ. 820

ΝΕ. τὸν ἄνδ᾽ ἔοικεν ὕπνος οὐ μακροῦ χρόνου ἕξειν· κάρα γὰρ ὑπτιάζεται τόδε. ἱδρώς γέ τοί νιν πᾶν καταστάζει δέμας, μέλαινά τ᾽ ἄκρου τις παρέρρωγεν ποδὸς

ΣΟΦΟΚΛΕΟΥΣ

ΧΟ. στρ.

Νεοπτόλεμος ἕρπʼ, εἰ θέλεις. τί δή ποθʼ ὧδʼ ἐξ οὐδενὸς 730 λόγου σιωπᾷς κἀπόπληκτος ὧδʼ ἔχει;

Φιλοκτήτης ἀᾶ, ἀᾶ.

Νεοπτόλεμος τί δʼ ἔστιν;

Φιλοκτήτης οὐδὲν δεινόν· ἀλλʼ ἴθʼ, ὦ τέκνον.

Νεοπτόλεμος μῶν ἄλγος ἴσχεις τῆς παρεστώσης νόσου;

Φιλοκτήτης οὐ δῆτʼ ἔγωγʼ, ἀλλʼ ἄρτι κουφίζειν δοκῶ. ὦ θεοί. 735

Νεοπτόλεμος τί τοὺς θεοὺς ὧδʼ ἀναστένων καλεῖς;

Φιλοκτήτης σωτῆρας αὐτοὺς ἠπίους θʼ ἡμῖν μολεῖν. ἀᾶ, ἀᾶ.

Νεοπτόλεμος τί ποτε πέπονθας; οὐκ ἐρεῖς, ἀλλʼ ὧδʼ ἔσει 740 σιγηλός; ἐν κακῷ δέ τῳ φαίνει κυρῶν.

Νεοπτόλεμος τί δʼ ἔστιν οὕτω νεοχμὸν ἐξαίφνης, ὅτου τοσήνδʼ ἰυγὴν καὶ στόνον σαυτοῦ ποεῖ;

Φιλοκτήτης οἶσθʼ, ὦ τέκνον;

Νεοπτόλεμος τί δʼ ἔστιν;

Φιλοκτήτης οἶσθʼ, ὦ παῖ;

Νεοπτόλεμος τί σοί; οὐκ οἶδα.

Φιλοκτήτης πῶς οὐκ οἶσθα; παππαπαππαπαῖ.

Νεοπτόλεμος δεινόν γε τοὐπίσαγμα τοῦ νοσήματος. 755

Φιλοκτήτης δεινὸν γὰρ οὐδὲ ῥητόν· ἀλλʼ οἴκτιρέ με.

Νεοπτόλεμος τί δῆτα δράσω;

Φιλοκτήτης μή με ταρβήσας προδῷς· ἥκει γὰρ αὕτη διὰ χρόνου πλάνοις ἴσως ὡς ἐξεπλήσθη.

ἕρπ᾽, εἰ θέλεις. τί δή ποθ' ὧδ᾽ ἐξ οὐδενὸς
715

λόγου σιωπᾷς κἀπόπληκτος ὧδ᾽ ἔχει;

ΦΙ.

ἃ ἃ, ἃ ἆ. ἀ á á a 'â â â adda a

ΝΕ.

τί ἔστιν ;

ΦΙ.

οὐδὲν δεινόν. ἀλλ᾽ ἴθ᾽, ὦ τέκνον.

ΝΕ.

μῶν ἄλγος ἴσχεις ἴσχει τῆς παρεστώσης νόσου ;
720

ΦΙ.

οὐ δῆτ᾽ ἔγωγ', ἀλλ᾽ ἄρτι κουφίζειν δοκῶ.

ὦ θεοί. ἰὼ θεοί

NE.

τί τοὺς θεοὺς θεοὺς οὕτως ἀναστένων καλεῖς βοᾷς ;

ΦΙ.

σωτῆρας αὐτοὺς ἠπίους θ᾽ ἡμῖν μολεῖν.

ἃ ἃ, ἃ ἆ. ả à ảá Corr. C². ad a
725

ΝΕ.

τί ποτε πέπονθας; οὐκ ἐρεῖς, ἀλλ᾽ ὧδ᾽ ἔσει

σιγηλός; ἐν κακῷ δέ τῳ φαίνει δὲ τῶι φαίνηι δὲ τῳ φαίνηι κυρῶν.

ΦΙ.

ἀπόλωλα ο from ω ἀπόλωλα, τέκνον, κοὐ δυνήσομαι κακὸν

κρύψαι παρ' ὑμῖν, ἀτταταῖ διέρχεται (.)διέρχεται,

διέρχεται. δύστηνος, ὦ τάλας ἐγώ.
730

ΝΕ.

τί δ᾽ ἔστιν ἐστίν οὕτω νεοχμὸν ἐξαίφνης, ὅτου

τοσήνδ᾽ ἰυγὴν καὶ στόνον σαυτοῦ ποιεῖς ποεῖς ποιεῖς ;

ΦΙ.

οἶσθ᾽, ὦ τέκνον.

NE.

τί τι ἔστιν;
740

ΦΙ.

οἶσθ᾽, ὦ παῖ.

NE.

τί σοί; οὐκ οἶδα.

ΦΙ.

πῶς οὐκ οἶσθα, παππαπαππαπαῖ πάπ(π)απάπ(π)ᾶπαῖ παππᾶ παππᾶι παῖ πᾶ, πα πα πα.

ΝΕ.

δεινόν γε τοὐπίσαγμα τοὐπείσαγμα τοῦ νοσήματος.

ΦΙ.

δεινὸν γὰρ οὐδὲ ῥητόν· ἀλλ᾽ οἴκτειρέ με.
745

ΝΕ.

τί δῆτα δράσω;

ΦΙ.

μή με ταρβήσας προδῷς·

ἥκει γὰρ αὕτη διὰ χρόνου πλάνοις ἴσως ὡς ὡσ

ὡς ἐξεπλήσθη.

NE.

ἰὼ ἰὼ δύστηνε σύ,
750

δύστηνε δῆτα add διὰ πόνων πάντων φανείς.

βούλει λάβωμαι λάβωμαι δῆτα καὶ θίγω τί σου;

ΝΕ.

θάρσει προνοίας οἵνεκ'. οὐ δοθήσεται

πλὴν σοί τε κἀμοί· ξὺν τύχῃ δὲ πρόσφερε.
765

ΦΙ.

ἰδοὺ δέχου, παῖ· τὸν φθόνον δὲ πρόσκυσον,

μή σοι γενέσθαι πολύπον αὐτά, μηδ᾽ ὅπως ὁμοίωσ

ἐμοί τε καὶ τῷ τὸ τῷ πρόσθ᾽ ἐμοῦ κεκτημένῳ.

ΝΕ.

ὦ θεοί, γένοιτο ταῦτα νῷν· γένοιτο δὲ

πλοῦς οὔριός τε κεὐσταλής καὶ εὐσταλὴσ, ὅποι ποτὲ
770

θεὸς δικαιοῖ χώ στόλος πορσύνεται.

ΦΙ.

ἀλλ᾽, ὦ τέκνον, καὶ θάρσος ἴσχ· ὡς ἥδε μοι

ὀξεῖα φοιτᾷ καὶ ταχεῖ᾽ ἀπέρχεται ἐπέρχεται.

ἀλλ᾽ ἀντιάζω, μή με καταλίπῃς καταλείπηισ καταλίπης μόνον.

ΝΕ.

θάρσει, μενοῦμεν.
810

ΦΙ.

ἢ μενεῖς;

NE.

σαφῶς φρόνει.

ΦΙ.

οὐ μήν σ᾽ ἔνορκόν γ'᾽ ἀξιῶ θέσθαι, τέκνον.

ΝΕ.

ὡς οὐ θέμις γ᾽ ἐμοὔστι ἐμοί' στι ἐμὴ ἐστί ἐμ᾽ ἴσθι σοῦ μολεῖν ἄτερ.

ΦΙ.

ἔμβαλλε χειρὸς πίστιν.

NE.

ἐμβάλλω μενεῖν μένειν μενεῖν.

ΦΙ.

ἐκεῖσε νῦν μ᾽ μ' om., ἐκεῖσε

NE.

ποῖ λέγεις;

ΦΙ.

ἄνω

ΝΕ.

τί παραφρονεῖς αὖ; τί τὸν ἄνω λεύσσεις λεύσσεις (λεύσηισ pr.) λεύσσεις κύκλον ;
815

ΦΙ.

μέθες μέθες με.

NE.

ποῖ μεθῶ;

ΦΙ.

μέθες ποτέ.

ΝΕ.

οὔ φημ᾽ ἐάσειν.

ΦΙ.

ἀπό μ᾽ ὀλεῖς, ἢν προσθίγῃς.

ΝΕ.

καὶ δὴ μεθίημ', εἴ τι δὴ μεθείημι τί δὴ μεθίημι τι δὲ δὴ πλέον φρονεῖς.

ΦΙ.

ὦ γαῖα, δέξαι θανάσιμόν μ' ὅπως ἔχω·

τὸ γὰρ κακὸν τόδ᾽ οὐκέτ᾽ ὀρθοῦσθαί μ᾽ ἐᾷ.
820

ΝΕ.

τὸν ἄνδ᾽ ἔοικεν ὕπνος οὐ μακροῦ χρόνου

ἕξειν· κάρα γὰρ ὑπτιάζεται τόδε.

ἱδρώς γέ τοί νιν πᾶν καταστάζει δέμας,

μέλαινά τ᾽ ἄκρου τις παρέρρωγεν ποδὸς

ΧΟ.

στρ.

Νεοπτόλεμος

ἕρπʼ, εἰ θέλεις. τί δή ποθʼ ὧδʼ ἐξ οὐδενὸς
730

λόγου σιωπᾷς κἀπόπληκτος ὧδʼ ἔχει;

Φιλοκτήτης

ἀᾶ, ἀᾶ.

Νεοπτόλεμος

τί δʼ ἔστιν;

Φιλοκτήτης

οὐδὲν δεινόν· ἀλλʼ ἴθʼ, ὦ τέκνον.

Νεοπτόλεμος

μῶν ἄλγος ἴσχεις τῆς παρεστώσης νόσου;

Φιλοκτήτης

οὐ δῆτʼ ἔγωγʼ, ἀλλʼ ἄρτι κουφίζειν δοκῶ. ὦ θεοί.
735

Νεοπτόλεμος

τί τοὺς θεοὺς ὧδʼ ἀναστένων καλεῖς;

Φιλοκτήτης

σωτῆρας αὐτοὺς ἠπίους θʼ ἡμῖν μολεῖν. ἀᾶ, ἀᾶ.

Νεοπτόλεμος

τί ποτε πέπονθας; οὐκ ἐρεῖς, ἀλλʼ ὧδʼ ἔσει
740

σιγηλός; ἐν κακῷ δέ τῳ φαίνει κυρῶν.

Νεοπτόλεμος

τί δʼ ἔστιν οὕτω νεοχμὸν ἐξαίφνης, ὅτου

τοσήνδʼ ἰυγὴν καὶ στόνον σαυτοῦ ποεῖ;

Φιλοκτήτης

οἶσθʼ, ὦ τέκνον;

Νεοπτόλεμος

τί δʼ ἔστιν;

Φιλοκτήτης

οἶσθʼ, ὦ παῖ;

Νεοπτόλεμος

τί σοί;

οὐκ οἶδα.

Φιλοκτήτης

πῶς οὐκ οἶσθα; παππαπαππαπαῖ.

Νεοπτόλεμος

δεινόν γε τοὐπίσαγμα τοῦ νοσήματος.
755

Φιλοκτήτης

δεινὸν γὰρ οὐδὲ ῥητόν· ἀλλʼ οἴκτιρέ με.

Νεοπτόλεμος

τί δῆτα δράσω;

Φιλοκτήτης

μή με ταρβήσας προδῷς·

ἥκει γὰρ αὕτη διὰ χρόνου πλάνοις ἴσως

ὡς ἐξεπλήσθη.

Νεοπτόλεμος

ἰὼ ἰὼ δύστηνε σύ,

δύστηνε δῆτα διὰ πόνων πάντων φανείς.
760

βούλει λάβωμαι δῆτα καὶ θίγω τί σου;

Νεοπτόλεμος

θάρσει προνοίας οὕνεκʼ· οὐ δοθήσεται

πλὴν σοί τε κἀμοί· ξὺν τύχῃ δὲ πρόσφερε.
775

Φιλοκτήτης

ἰδοὺ δέχου, παῖ· τὸν φθόνον δὲ πρόσκυσον

μή σοι γενέσθαι πολύπονʼ αὐτὰ μηδʼ ὅπως

ἐμοί τε καὶ τῷ πρόσθʼ ἐμοῦ κεκτημένῳ.

Νεοπτόλεμος

ὦ θεοί, γένοιτο ταῦτα νῷν· γένοιτο δὲ

πλοῦς οὔριός τε κεὐσταλὴς ὅποι ποτὲ
780

θεὸς δικαιοῖ χὠ στόλος πορσύνεται.

Νεοπτόλεμος

ἀλγῶ πάλαι δὴ τἀπὶ σοὶ στένων κακά.

Φιλοκτήτης

ἀλλʼ, ὦ τέκνον, καὶ θάρσος ἴσχʼ· ὡς ἥδε μοι

ὀξεῖα φοιτᾷ καὶ ταχεῖʼ ἀπέρχεται.

ἀλλʼ ἀντιάζω, μή με καταλίπῃς μόνον.

Νεοπτόλεμος

θάρσει, μενοῦμεν.
810

Φιλοκτήτης

ἦ μενεῖς;

Νεοπτόλεμος

σαφῶς φρόνει.

Φιλοκτήτης

οὐ μήν σʼ ἔνορκόν γʼ ἀξιῶ θέσθαι, τέκνον.

Νεοπτόλεμος

ὡς οὐ θέμις γʼ ἐμοὔστι σοῦ μολεῖν ἄτερ.

Φιλοκτήτης

ἔμβαλλε χειρὸς πίστιν.

Νεοπτόλεμος

ἐμβάλλω μενεῖν.

Φιλοκτήτης

ἐκεῖσε νῦν μʼ, ἐκεῖσε

Νεοπτόλεμος

ποῖ λέγεις;

Φιλοκτήτης

ἄνω