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827-864

The place of a second stasimon is taken by this

κομμός

. The strophe (827—838) is divided from the antistr. (843—854) by a

μεσῳδός

, consisting of four hexameters for Neoptolemus. The antistr. is followed by an

ἐπῳδός

(855—864). For the metres, see Metrical Analysis.

κομμός

was properly a lyric lamentation (

θρῆνος

) in which one of the actors took part with the Chorus. But the name can be used in a larger sense to describe any lyric dialogue between actor and Chorus, even when the character of a lamentation is not present.

The strophe here was sung by one half of the Chorus, and the antistrophe by the other. Sophocles had raised the number of the tragic Chorus from 12 to 15 by adding a coryphaeus (whose part had hitherto been taken by one of the ordinary choreutae), and two leaders of

ἡμιχόρια

,—called

παραστάται

, because, when the Chorus was drawn up facing the actors, they stood on either side of the coryphaeus. The Ajax affords another certain instance of

ἡμιχόρια

(866 ff.).

The Chorus urge Neoptolemus to seize the moment while Philoctetes sleeps, and to sail away with the bow. He replies that it would be as useless as it would be base to take the bow without its master, whom the oracle has declared to be indispensable. They are still pressing their counsel when the youth perceives that Philoctetes is about to awake.

827 ff. The first Ὕπνε has υ— , but the second, υ^ : cp. 296 n.

ὀδύνας alludes to the sharp physical anguish of Ph. : ἀλγέων is the more general word,—pain, whether of body or of mind.

Ὕπνε δ’ : the

δέ

stands here as it would stand after the repeated adj.,

Ὕπνε, ἀδαὴς

(

μὲν

)

ὀδ., ἀδαὴς δὲ ἀλγέων

: cp. 633 .

εὐαὲς instead of

εὐαὴς

, the predicative adj. being assimilated to the subject (

Ὕπνε

) in the voc.: cp. 760 : Ai. 695 ff.

ἁλίπλαγκτε...φάνηθ’

: Theocr. 17. 66

ὄλβιε κῶρε γένοιο

: Callimachus fr. 213

ἀντὶ γὰρ ἐκλήθης Ἴμβρασε Παρθενίον

(the river Imbrasus in Samos): Tibullus 1. 7. 53 venias hodierne.

εὐαὲς must certainly be a dactyl (see Anal.), and in 844 the words

ὧν δ’ ἂν ἀμείβῃ

appear sound. But the short α^ in

εὐαὲς

has caused perplexity. Certainly elsewhere we find α— ( Hes. Op. 597

χώρῳ ἐν εὐαεῖ

, Hom. Od. 12. 289

Ζεφύροιο δυσαέος

). But on the other hand α^ occurs in other Homeric forms from the same root,—

ἄη, ἄητον, ἄητο, ἀῆναι, ἀήμεναι, ἀήμενος, ἀῆται

. Thus, even though

α—

was usual in

εὐαής

, general epic associations would have made it easy for Sophocles to use

εὐα^ής

where metrical convenience required it.

εὐαίων , happy, and giving happiness. At Sicyon Pausanias (2. 10. 2) saw a statue of

Ὕπνος

, with the surname of

ἐπιδώτης

,— i.e. the giver of ever fresh gifts to men,—the renewer of life. The epithet is explained by Paus. 8. 9. 1 where a Mantinean hieron of

Ζεὺς Ἐπιδώτης

is mentioned,—

ἐπιδιδόναι γὰρ δὴ ἀγαθὰ αὐτὸν ἀνθρώποις

. The word παιών in 832 recalls the fact that this Sicyonian

Ὕπνος

stood near the

Ἀσκληπιεῖον

These beautiful verses, which seem to breathe the very spirit of rest, are illustrated by a bronze statue of

Ὕπνος

now at Vienna. (Baumeister, p. 707.) The Sleep-god is advancing softly; his head is bent; a kindly smile is on his face; his eyes are half-closed; and in his outstretched right hand he holds the horn from which the poppy-juice (

μηκώνιον

) is to be shed on weary mortals. The right hand (as replicas show) once held a poppy-stalk,—answering to the

ῥάβδος

with which Hermes seals the eyes of men. Cp. Callim. Hym. Del. 134

οὐδ’ ὅτε οἱ ληθαῖον ἐπὶ πτερὸν Ὕπνος ἐρείσει

. Statius Silv. 5. 4. 16 (invoking Somnus): —

Nec te totas infundere pennas | Luminibus compello meis: hoc turba precetur | Laetior; extremo me tange cacumine virgae.

Silius 10. 354 (Somnus)

Per tenebras portat medicata papavera cornu...quatit inde soporas | Devexo capiti pennas, oculisque quietem | Irrorat, tangens Lethaea tempora virga.

ὄμμασι δ’ ἀντίσχοις , and keep before his eyes, τάνδ’ αἴγλαν ἃ τέταται τανῦν , this light which is spread before them now. By ‘this light’ I do not understand ‘a light which is no light,’ i.e., ‘darkness,’—as if this were an oxymoron like

βλέπειν σκότον

( O. T. 419 ),

ἐν σκότῳ ὁρᾶν

( ib. 1273), for

τυφλὸς εἶναι

. Rather

τάνδ’ αἴγλαν

is ‘dreamlight,’—such as illuminates the visions that come in sleep. Cp. Eur. Alc. 354

ἐν δ’ ὀνείρασι

φοιτῶσά μ’ εὐφραίνοις ἄν· ἡδὺ γὰρ φίλος

κὰν νυκτὶ λεύσσειν, ὅντιν’ ἂν παρῇ χρόνον

. The pron. τάνδε marks that αἴγλαν has this poetical sense, —the

ὄναρ

, not the

ὕπαρ

, of light. Cp. Aesch. Ag. 942

ἦ καὶ σὺ νίκην τήνδε δήριος τίεις

; i.e., a

νίκη

which consists in yielding.—For τέταται , referring to light, cp. Soph. Ant. 600

ὃ τέτατο φάος

(n.).

The words could not mean, ‘keep off this sunlight from his eyes.’ ὄμμασι might, indeed, be a dat. of interest; but ἀντίσχοις could not mean, defendas. In O.C. 1651

χεῖρ’ ἀντέχοντα κρατός

certainly refers to shading the eyes; but the object of the verb is that which is held before them, not that which is warded off.— Hesych. has

αἴγλη· χλίδων. Σοφοκλῆς Τηρεῖ. χιτών· καὶ πέδη παρὰ Ἐπιχάρμῳ ἐν Βάκχαις

. The word

χλίδων

(

χλιδή

) meant an ‘ornament,’ esp. an armlet (

ψέλιον

). If

αἴγλη

was used for

χλίδων

, it was so because

αἴγλη

could mean ‘a gleaming object’ (cp.

τροφή

θρέμμα

). The same explanation applies to

χιτών

and

πέδη

,—‘a glistering tunic,’ ‘a bright chain.’ Cp. the Homeric

γλήνεα

, prop. ‘bright objects,’ then ‘trinkets’ or the like ( Il. 24. 192 ). The meanings of

αἴγλη

given in Bekker Anecd. p. 354 add nothing, for our purpose, to Hesychius. We cannot, then, accept Welcker's version of αἴγλαν here:—‘keep upon his eyes this bandage ( fasciam) that is bound upon them now’ ( Rhein. Mus. p. 125, 1828). —No alteration, either of ἀντίσχοις or of τάνδ’ αἴγλαν , seems probable.

ἴθι ἴθι . The hiatus is defensible because the words are virtually interjections; i.e., there is a slight pause after the first

ἴθι

. Cp. Ant. 1276

φεῦ φεῦ, ὦ πόνοι

: ib. 1328

ἴτω ἴτω

ποῦ στάσει , in a fig. sense, combined with

ποῖ...βάσει

(‘what your attitude is to be,’—‘what steps you are to take’), as oft. in expressions of perplexity; cp. Eur. Hec. 1079

πᾷ βῶ, πᾷ στῶ, πᾷ κάμψω

; Eur. Alc. 864

ποῖ βῶ; πᾷ στῶ; τί λέγω; τί δὲ μή

;

The MSS. give here ποῖ δὲ βάσει πῶς δέ μοι τἀντεῦθεν , and in the corresponding v. of the antistrophe (850), κεῖνό μοι, κεῖνο λάθρᾳ . The want of a verb for

πῶς δέ μοι τἀντεῦθεν

suggests some corruption: we cannot well take

βάσει

with both clauses by changing

πῶς δέ

(as Hermann proposed) to

πῶς τε

. Nor, again, is it satisfactory to expand v. 850 by adding

τούτου

τἀνδρὸς

after

λάθρᾳ

, or by repeating

λάθρᾳ

itself. Wecklein, leaving

κεῖνό μοι κεῖνο λάθρᾳ

untouched, writes here

ποῖ δὲ τἀνθένδε βάσει

(omitting

πῶς δέ μοι τἀντεῦθεν

). But then,—granting that a dittographia was the cause of error,—it is hard to see how

μοι

could have crept in between

πῶς δέ

and

τἀντεῦθεν

. I prefer to read ποῖ δέ μοι τἀνθένδε βάσει here, and to insert

δή

(this with Hermann) after the first

κεῖνο

in 850. The MS. reading may have arisen thus. A transcriber, whose eye chanced to pass over

μοι τἀνθένδε

, wrote

ποῖ δὲ βάσει

. Then, perceiving that he had missed two words, he preferred to begin anew, and wrote the whole verse right, but either forgot, or failed to mark clearly, that his original

ποῖ δὲ βάσει

should be deleted. (A similar case occurs in L's text of the metrical

Ὑπόθεσις

to this play: see p. 3.) A successor, finding

ποῖ δὲ βάσει ποῖ δέ μοι τἀνθένδε βάσει

, deemed it obvious that the second

βάσει

should be omitted. The verse thus became,

ποῖ δὲ βάσει ποῖ δέ μοι τἀνθένδε

. But the metrical context showed that a long final syllable was needed; and nothing seemed easier than to correct

τἀνθένδε

into

τἀντεῦθεν

. Lastly, as a verb such as

πράξεις

seemed to be understood with

τἀντεῦθεν φροντίδος

, the second

ποῖ

was altered to

πῶς

.—Join ποῖ with φροντίδος (partit. gen.): cp. O. C. 170

ποῖ τις φροντίδος ἔλθῃ;

τἀνθένδε , adverbial: cp. 895 .

ὁρᾷς ἤδη , ‘thou seest now’ (how matters stand),—said with a glance or gesture towards the sleeping Philoctetes. There is a certain awkwardness in these words, since, coming so soon after

ὅρα ποῦ στάσει

, they might naturally mean, ‘thou art already taking heed.’ Herwerden and Wecklein conjecture ὁρᾷς, εὕδει . This may be right. But the cautious vagueness of

ὁρᾷς ἤδη

is perhaps a little in its favour.

πρὸς τί μενοῦμεν (

ὥστε

) πράσσειν (

αὐτό

): for the epexegetic inf., cp. 62 n.

καιρός , occasion, πάντων γνώμαν ἴσχων =

πάντα γιγνώσκων

, taking cognisance of all things,—discerning, in every case, whether the circumstances warrant prompt action. For

γνώμην ἔχειν

as =

γιγνώσκειν

, cp. El. 214

οὐ γνώμαν ἴσχεις, ἐξ οἵων, κ.τ.λ.

The general sense is the same as in El. 75 f.,

νὼ δ’ ἔξιμεν· καιρὸς γάρ, ὅσπερ ἀνδράσιν

μέγιστος ἔργου παντός ἐστ’ ἐπιστάτης

. Though we need not write

Καιρός

, still

καιρός

is virtually personified both by

γνώμαν ἴσχων

and by

ἄρνυται

. Pausanias (5. 14. 7) saw two altars at the entrance to the Olympian stadium; one was to Hermes

Ἐναγώνιος

,—the other to

Καιρός

, who enabled athletes to seize the critical moment in a struggle. Cp. Anthol. 10. 52

εὖ γε λέγων τὸν Καιρὸν ἔφης θεόν, εὖ γε Μένανδρε

.—Blaydes takes

καιρὸς γνώμαν ἴσχων

as=‘opportunity combined with judgment,’ and joins

πάντων

with

κράτος

(‘superiority in all cases’). The order of the words seems against this.

< πολύ τι > πολὺ . No curtailment of v. 854 (

μάλα τοι ἄπορα πυκινοῖς ἐνιδεῖν πάθη

) is probable. The addition of

πολύ τι

makes v. 838 equal to v. 854: and the remedy, however uncertain, is at least not violent. See Appendix on vv. 852 ff.

παρὰ πόδα , ‘then and there,’ extemplo,—by a prompt stroke of action. Cp. Plat. Soph. 242A

μή ποτε διὰ ταῦτά σοι μανικὸς εἶναι δόξω, παρὰ πόδα μεταβαλὼν ἐμαυτὸν ἄνω καὶ κάτω

ἀλλ’ ὅδε μὲν

κ.τ.λ.

: i.e., ‘It is true that he would be unconscious of our flight: but I know that it would be useless to sail without him.’ The stately hexameters—in contrast with the lighter rhythms of the Chorus—suit the authoritative tone in which Neoptolemus declares the purport of the oracle. As vv. 844 ff. show, he speaks in a louder voice than the Chorus deem safe.

θήραν … ἔχομεν : cp. Ai. 564

δυσμενῶν θήραν ἔχων

: O. T. 566

ἀλλ’ οὐκ ἔρευναν τοῦ θανόντος ἔσχετε

;

τοῦδε … τοῦτον : cp. 1331 , 1434 f., 1437.

ὁ στέφανος , fig.: cp. Eur. Hec. 660

οὐδεὶς στέφανον ἀνθαιρήσεται

, no one will take the palm (for misery) in her stead. Helenus had declared that the victory would belong jointly to Philoctetes and Neoptolemus, as the latter says at 1335.

κομπεῖν δ’

κ.τ.λ.

It will be a disgrace to them, when they go back to Troy, to boast of their task as accomplished, when it will be, in fact, only half done, if they bring the bow without its master. And the discredit of such a result will be aggravated by the deception used towards Philoctetes. The words ἀτελῆ σὺν ψεύδεσιν are closely connected; ‘an incomplete result, combined with falsehood,’ i.e. not only incomplete, but obtained by falsehood. This seems better than to take

σὺν ψεύδεσιν

as merely=

ψευδῶς

, ‘to boast falsely.’—Cp. El. 641

δὺν φθόνῳ

, Ai. 933

οὐλίῳ σὺν πάθει

, O. T. 585

ξὺν φόβοισι

ἀλλά, τέκνον . The Chorus reply,—‘If an oracle has said that Ph. must be brought to Troy, the god himself will provide for the fulfilment of that decree. Meanwhile, thy part is to secure the bow.’ Cp. Soph. O. T. 724

ὧν γὰρ ἂν θεὸς

χρείαν ἐρευνᾷ ῥᾳδίως αὐτὸς φανεῖ.

ὀψεται , look to it, provide for it: Ai. 1165

κάπετόν τιν’ ἰδεῖν

: Theocr. 15. 2

ὅρη δίφρον, Εὐνόα, αὐτᾷ

ὧν for

οὕς

, by attraction to λόγων : for the double acc. with ἀμείβῃ , cp. O. C. 991.

πάντων masc.: in sickness all men's sleep,—if, indeed, it can be called sleep at all,—is quick of vision ( λεύσσειν , epexeg. of εὐδρακὴς ). Words appropriate to eyesight are here used to denote perception generally. The slightest sound will stir consciousness in the sick sleeper. For a somewhat similar use of language cp. Aesch. Eum. 104

εὕδουσα γὰρ φρὴν ὄμμασιν λαμπρύνεται

ἀλλ’ ὅτι δύνᾳ

κ.τ.λ.

The connection of thought is:—‘A sick man is very easily awakened. But the bow must be carried off without awakening him ( λάθρᾳ ).’

δύνᾳ =

δύνασαι

, cp. 798 . (Not Doric for

δύνῃ

, as some have thought:

ῃ

was not changed in the Doric subjunct.)

κεῖνο … κεῖνο , with the same kind of emphasis as

αὐτὸ τοῦτο

in 77. The Chorus are unmoved by what N. has said (841). They repeat that the bow should be taken, and Ph. left behind. As to the conjectural insertion of δή , .

μοι , ethic (763).

ὅτι δ. μάκιστον (Doric for

μήκιστον

) ἐξιδοῦ , lit., ‘look forth to the furthest possible point,’ i.e., ‘use all possible precaution,’—a fresh warning not to disturb the sleeper by the slightest noise, but to depart while there is yet time. Cp. Il. 20. 342

μέγ’ ἔξιδεν ὀφθαλμοῖσιν

, he strained his sight (in eager search): ib. 23. 477

οὔτε τοι ὀξύτατον κεφαλῆς ἐκδέρκεται ὄσσε.

ὅπᾳ is preferable to ὅπως where the particular mode of effecting the object is in question; and it is supported by the corrector of L (cr. n.).

οἶσθα γὰρ ἃν … πάθη . I read ἃν (=

ἣν

), with Hermann, for the ὧν or ὃν of the MSS. ‘If thou holdest this purpose—thou knowest what purpose I speak of—in relation to this man (Philoctetes), truly there are desperate troubles (

ἄπορα πάθη

, sc.

ἔστι

) for shrewd men to foresee’ (lit., ‘to see in’ such a deed). The γνώμαν is the purpose of Neoptolemus to take Philoctetes on board the ship—ostensibly for conveyance to Greece—and then carry him to Troy. The allusive phrase, οἶσθα γὰρ ἃν αὐδῶμαι , is used, because they are afraid of breathing a word which might betray the secret to the sick man, if he should awake while they were speaking. ταύταν emphatically opposes this plan to κεῖνο —the course which they themselves recommend. τούτῳ is a dat. of relation, nearly=

περὶ τούτου

: cp. Plat. Rep. 598D

ὑπολαμβάνειν δεῖ τῷ τοιούτῳ ὅτι εὐηθής τις ἄνθρωπος

(‘in the case of such a person’). πυκινοῖς : cp.

ξριτιας Σίς

. fr. 1. 12

πυκνός τις καὶ σοφὸς γνώμην ἀνήρ.

ἐνιδεῖν , oft. used of seeing a difficulty or danger in a proposed course of action: Her. 1. 89

εἴρετο Κροῖσον ὅ τι οἱ ἐνορῴη ἐν τοῖσι ποιευμένοισι

(what harm he foresaw for him in what was being done). Id. 1. 120

εἰ φοβερόν τι ἐνωρῶμεν, πᾶν ἂν σοὶ προεφράζομεν

. The ἄπορα πάθη are the horrors of the disease,—the fury which would burst forth in Philoctetes when he learned that they were taking him to Troy,—and the curses which he would invoke from

Ζεὺς Ἱκέσιος

on his betrayers.—For other views of this passage, see Appendix.

οὖρος , a fair wind, meaning here an opportune moment: schol.

καιρὸς ἐπιτήδειος

. The metaphor is a fitting one for sailors. When

οὖρος

is fig., it more oft.= ‘a prosperous course’ ( Tr. 815 ).—This is better than to take the word literally, as if the wind, which had been adverse (640), had just changed.

οὐδ’ ἔχων ἀρωγὰν , because his bow is in N.'s hands ( cp. 931 ). νύχιος =

σκότιος

, in the darkness of sleep.

ἀλεὴς ὕπνος ἐσθλός . If these words are right, they can mean only, ‘sleep in the heat is sound,’—a parenthetic comment on the preceding

ἐκτέταται νύχιος

. In the excitement of the Chorus, it is perhaps not strange that they should use a phrase scarcely consistent with their own

ὕπνος ἄϋπνος

(848). Cp. Theocr. 7. 21

μεσαμέριον

.. |

ἁνίκα δὴ καὶ σαῦρος ἐφ’ αἱμασίαισι καθεύδει

. We certainly cannot render (with Cavallin), ‘a warm sleep ( i.e. a sound one, in which a gentle warmth pervades the body) is favourable to our plan.’ ἀλεής occurs only here, though Hesych. has

ἀλεός

ἀλεεινός

. It is, however, a correct formation from

ἀλέα

: and ἀλέας (gen.) is not a probable correction. The easy emendation ἀδεὴς (

for

) would give the sense, ‘'tis a secure ( i.e. tranquil), sound sleep.’ This may be right; but I have preferred to keep the MS. reading. The addition of δ’ after ἀλεὴς might seem desirable in such a parenthesis: cp. Dem. or. 18 § 308

ἢ ἄλλο τι δύσκολον γέγονε

, (

πολλὰ δὲ τὰ ἀνθρώπινα

εἶτ’ ἐπὶ τούτῳ τῷ καιρῷ κ.τ.λ.

Some reject ἀλεὴς ὕπνος ἐσθλός as a mere gloss. But a marginal commentator might have been expected to use more prosaic language,— e.g.,

ὁ μεσημβρινὸς ὕπνος βαθύς

. Dobree, reading ἀδεὴς , supposed the following process. (1) In v. 864 Soph. wrote ἀδεὴς πόνος ἐσθλός . This was supplanted by a gloss, πόνος ὁ μὴ φοβῶν κράτιστος , which now stands there. (2) Then the displaced ἀδεὴς πόνος ἐσθλός was corrupted into

ἀλεὴς ὕπνος ἐσθλός

, and inserted in the text after

νύχιος

. This hypothesis is very ingenious, but it seems much too complex to be probable.

οὔ τινος . The conjecture,

οὐ φρενὸς

, has found much favour; but, in a picture of utter helplessness, is not the vulg. more forcible? Cp. 1161

μηκέτι μηδενὸς κρατύνων

Ἀΐδᾳ πάρα κείμενος . Cp. O. T. 972

κεῖται παρ’ Ἅιδῃ Πόλνβος

. This mode of writing is preferable to παρακείμενος because

παρακεῖσθαί τινι

=‘to lie beside one,’ or ‘before one,’ with ref. to things which are ready to one's hand, or at one's disposal. But when the sense is, ‘to be lodged or deposited with one,’

κεῖσθαι παρά τινι

is used.

ὅρα, βλέπ’ . For the double imperat. in excited utterance, cp. 981 , O. C. 121

προσδέρκου, λεῦσσεδή

. Seyffert's ὅρα is much better here than the MS. ὁρᾷ , ‘he sees as the dead see,’ i.e., not at all. After

ἀνόμματος

and

νύχιος

, this would be weak.

εἰ καίρια φθέγγει . ‘See whether thy words are seasonable’ means here, ‘We fear that thy counsel (839 ff.) is unseasonable.’ We miss our

καιρός

, if we stay here with Philoctetes, instead of escaping with the bow.

τὸ δ’ ἁλώσιμον ἐμᾷ φρ. , as far as my thought can grasp the question, =

καθ’ ὅσον ἐγὼ κατανοῶ τὸ πρᾶγμα

. Cp. Plat. Tim. 29A

τὸ λόγῳ καὶ φρονήσει περιληπτόν

. The acc. is one of ‘respect’ (like

τοὐμὸν μέρος

, etc.).

πόνος ὁ μὴ φοβῶν κράτιστος , ‘the enterprise not fraught with fear is best’ (Whitelaw): a sententious utterance, like

βράχιστα γὰρ κράτιστα τἀν ποσὶν κακά

( Ant. 1327 ). They mean that it is best to depart noiselessly with the bow, and so avoid the risks involved in taking Philoctetes. ὁ μὴ φοβῶν is left vague by the proverb-like brevity of the phrase: it means, ‘which does not disturb the sleeping Philoctetes.’ The word πόνος is also in keeping with the gnomic form,—implying that there will be least

πόνος

in such a course; as if it were,

πόνος ἐλάχιστος κράτιστος

. Cp.

σιγῆς ἀκίνδυνον γέρας

(meaning that

σιγή

, though it wins no positive

γέρας

, risks nothing): ‘Discretion is the better part of valour,’ etc.

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)) — 827 focus

῞Ὕπν᾿ ὀδύνας ἀδαής, ῞Ὕπνε δ᾽ ἀλγέων,

ΦΙΛΟΚΤΗΤΗΣ.

εὐαὴς εὐμενὴς ἡμῖν ὑμῖν ἔλθοις,

εὐαίων εὐαίων , ὧναξ ἄναξ·

ὄμμασι ὄμμασιν δ᾽ ἀντίσχοις ἀντέχοις

830

τάνδ᾽ αἴγλαν, ἃ τέταται τανῦν τὰ νῦν τανῦν.

ἴθι, ἴθι μοι παιών.

ΣΟΦΟΚΛΕΟΥΣ

ὦ τέκνον, ὅρα ποῦ στάσει,

ποῖ ποῦ δὲ βάσει, πῶς δέ μοι τἀντεῦθεν

φροντίδος. ὁρᾷς φροντίδος ὁρᾷς. ἤδη.

835

πρὸς τί μένομεν μενοῦμεν πράσσειν ;

καιρός τοι πάντων γνώμαν ἴσχων

πολὺ παρὰ πόδα κράτος του ἄρνυται.

ΝΕ.

ἀλλ᾽ ὅδε μὲν κλύει οὐδέν, ἐγὼ δ᾽ ὁρῶ οἵνεκα θήραν

τήνδ᾽ ἁλίως ἔχομεν τόξων, δίχα τοῦδε πλέοντες.
840

τοῦδε γὰρ ὁ στέφανος, τοῦτον θεὸς εἶπε κομίζειν.

κομπεῖν δ᾽ ἔστ᾽ ἀτελῆ σὺν σὺμ σὺν ψεύδεσιν αἰσχρὸν ὄνειδος.

ΧΟ.

ἀντ.

᾿Αλλά, τέκνον, τάδε μὲν θεὸς ὄψεται·

ΦΙΛΟΚΤΗΤΗΣ.

ὧν δ᾽ ἂν κἀμείβῃ ἀμείβῃ μ᾽ αὖθις,

βαιάν μοι, βαιάν, ὦ τέκνον,

845

πέμπε λόγων φάμαν φήμαν·

ὡς πάντων ἐν νόσῳ εὐδρακὴς

ὕπνος ἄϋπνος λεύσσειν.

ἀλλ᾽ ὅτι δύνᾳ δύναι δύναιο μάκιστον,

κεῖνό μοι, κεῖνο †λάθρα ..

850

ἐξιδοῦ ἐξίδου ἐξιδοῦ ὅπως ὅτι gl. ὅπως πράξεις.

οἶσθα γὰρ ὃν ὁν ὧν ὃν αὐδῶμαι·

εἰ ταύταν εἰ δὲ ταὐτὰν ταυτὰν τούτῳ γνώμαν ἴσχεις ἔχεις ἴσχεις ἔχοις,

ΣΟΦΟΚΛΕΟΥΣ

μάλα τοι τοι.'.. ἄπορα πυκινοῖς πυκνοῖσιν πυκινοῖσιν ἐνιδεῖν πάθη.

ἐπ.

Οὐρός τοι, τέκνον, οὗρος· ἀνὴρ δ᾽

855

ἀνόμματος, οὐδ᾽ ἔχων ἀρωγάν,

ἐκτέταται ἐκτέτακται νύχιος, ( ἀλεὴς ὕπνος ἐσθλός ἀλέὴσ ἐσθλὸσ ὕπνοσ ἀλεὴσ ὕπνος ἐσθλός,)

οὐ χερός, οὐ ποδός, οὔ τινος ἄρχων,

ἀλλά τις ὡς οστις ὡς τις ὡς ὃς ὅστις ᾿Αΐδᾳ παρακείμενος

ὁρᾷ. †* βλέπ᾽ εἰ καίρια φθέγγει φθέγγει φθέγγει φθέγγου.†

860

ΦΙΛΟΚΤΗΤΗΣ.

ΧΟ.

τὸ δ᾽ τόδ' ἁλώσιμον ἀμᾷ ἐμᾶ ἐμῇ φροντίδι, παῖ, πόνος

ὁ μὴ φοβῶν κράτιστος.

ΝΕ.

Greek (F. Storr, 1912) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (F. Storr, 1912)) — 827-864 focus

Χορός

Ὕπνʼ ὀδύνας ἀδαής, Ὕπνε δʼ ἀλγέων,

εὐαὲς ἡμῖν ἔλθοις,

εὐαίων εὐαίων, ὦναξ·

ὄμμασι δʼ ἀντίσχοις
830

τάνδʼ αἴγλαν, ἃ τέταται τανῦν.

ἴθι ἴθι μοι παιών.

ὦ τέκνον, ὅρα ποῦ στάσει,

ποῖ δέ μοι τἀνθένδε βάσει,

φροντίδος. ὁρᾷς ἤδη.
835

πρὸς τί μενοῦμεν πράσσειν;

καιρός τοι πάντων γνώμαν ἴσχων

πολύ τι πολὺ παρὰ πόδα κράτος ἄρνυται.

839

Νεοπτόλεμος

ἀλλʼ ὅδε μὲν κλύει οὐδέν, ἐγὼ δʼ ὁρῶ οὕνεκα θήραν

τήνδʼ ἁλίως ἔχομεν τόξων, δίχα τοῦδε πλέοντες.
840

τοῦδε γὰρ ὁ στέφανος, τοῦτον θεὸς εἶπε κομίζειν.

κομπεῖν δʼ ἔστʼ ἀτελῆ σὺν ψεύδεσιν αἰσχρὸν ὄνειδος.

843

Χορός

ἀλλά, τέκνον, τάδε μὲν θεὸς ὄψεται·

ὧν δʼ ἂν ἀμείβῃ μʼ αὖθις,

βαιάν μοι, βαιάν, ὦ τέκνον,
845

πέμπε λόγων φάμαν·

ὡς πάντων ἐν νόσῳ εὐδρακὴς

ὕπνος ἄϋπνος λεύσσειν.

ἀλλʼ ὅτι δύνᾳ μάκιστον

κεῖνο δή μοι κεῖνο λάθρᾳ
850

ἐξιδοῦ ὅπᾳ πράξεις.

οἶσθα γὰρ ἃν αὐδῶμαι,

εἰ ταύταν τούτων γνώμαν ἴσχεις,

μάλα τοι ἄπορα πυκινοῖς ἐνιδεῖν πάθη.

855

Χορός

οὖρός τοι, τέκνον, οὖρος·
855

ἁνὴρ δʼ ἀνόμματος οὐδʼ ἔχων

ἀρωγὰν ἐκτέταται νύχιος,

ʽἁ̓λεὴς ὕπνος ἐσθλός,ʼ

οὐ χερός, οὐ ποδός, οὔ τινος ἄρχων,
860

ἀλλά τις ὡς Ἀΐδᾳ παρακείμενος.

ὅρα, βλέπʼ εἰ καίρια

φθέγγει· τὸ δʼ ἁλώσιμον

ἐμᾷ φροντίδι, παῖ,

πόνος ὁ μὴ φοβῶν κράτιστος.

Translations (5)

English (Lewis Campbell, 1906) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Lewis Campbell, 1906)) — 827 focus

Lord of the happiest life,

Sleep, thou that know’st not strife,

That know’st not grief,

Still wafting sure relief,

Come, saviour now!
830

Thy healing balm is spread

Over this pain worn head,

Quench not the beam that gives calm to his brow.

Look, O my lord, to thy path,

Either to go or to stay

How is my thought to proceed?
835

What is our cause for delay?
835

Look! Opportunity’s power,

Fitting the task to the hour,

Giveth the race to the swift.

NEO

He hears not. But I see that to have ta’en

His bow without him were a bootless gain

He must sail with us. So the god hath said
840

Heaven hath decreed this garland for his head:

And to have failed with falsehood were a meed

Of shameful soilure for a shameless deed.

CH

God shall determine the end—

But for thine answer, friend,

Waft soft words low!

All sick men’s sleep, we know,
845

Hath open eye;

Their quickly ruffling mind

Quivers in lightest wind,

Sleepless in slumber new danger to spy.

Think, O my lord, of thy path,

Secretly look forth afar,
850

What wilt thou do for thy need?

How with the wise wilt thou care?

If toward the nameless thy heart

Chooseth this merciful part,

Huge are the dangers that drift.
855

The wind is fair, my son, the wind is fair,

The man is dark and helpless, stretched in night.

(O kind, warm sleep that calmest human care!)

Powerless of hand and foot and ear and sight,

Blind, as one lying in the house of death.

(Think well if here thou utterest timely breath.)
860

This, O my son, is all my thought can find,

Best are the toils that without frightening bind.

NEO

German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review) (OCR draft) Experimental (German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review)) — 827 focus

Schlummer, des Grams und der Sorge vergessender

Gott, sanft anhauchend erschein' uns,

Du Labsal unserem Dasein, komm!
800

Halte vom Aug' ihm fern

Dies Licht, das über der Erde wallt!

Erschein' uns, Heilbringer!

(zu Neoptolemos)

Du Jüngling, sich zu, wo du

Stehst, wohin du gehst, und was uns weiter
805

Zu thun sei! Schon weißt du's:

Was säumst du noch länger?

Die gelegene Zeit, Rath schaffend in Allem,

Gewinnt, rasch ergriffen, glorreichen Sieg.

Neoptolemos.

Wohl, er vernimmt nichts mehr. Doch glaube mir, daß wir des Bogens
810

Beute vergeblich errungen, entschiffen wir ohne den Mann hier.

Denn sein wartet der Kranz, ihn hieß uns bringen die Gottheit.

Unvollendeter That mit Lug sich zu rühmen, wie schmachvoll!

Gegenstrophe.

Der Chor.

Solches, o Jüngling, ordnen die Ewigen:

Doch, gibst du mir Antwort wieder,
815

Ganz leise nur, leise nur (hörst du, Kind?)

Sende zu mir dein Wort.

Denn schlaflos ist ja der Kranken Schlaf,

Und lauscht, und sieht Alles.

Doch suche, wähl' aufs Beste,
820

Spähe still und heimlich, sorgsam spähe

Mir, was du thun willst, aus.

Von wem ich hier rede,

Das weißt du ja: stimmt dein Wille zu seinem,

Entwirrt selbst ein Kluger solch Wirrsal kaum.
825
Schlußgesang.

Fahrwind athmet ja, Fahrwind,

Sohn! Hülflos liegt er und augenlos,

Der Mann hier, nächtlich im Schlafe gestreckt,

(Willkommener Schlaf uns!)

Weder der Hand noch dem Fuße gebeut er,
830

Nein, als läg' er im Schooße des Aïdes,

So blickt er. Sprich, was an der Zeit ist!

Dies eine nur, o Sohn, wurde mir klar:

Wagst du furchtlos, glückt die That wohl.

Neoptolemos.

English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759)) — 839 focus

Sleep hath o'ertaken him. See, his head is lain

On the cold earth ; the balmy sweat thick drops

From every limb, and from the broken vein

Flows the warm blood ; let us indulge his slumbers.

INVOCATION TO SLEEP.

Sleep, thou patron of mankind,

Great physician of the mind,

Who dost nor pain nor sorrow know,
840

Sweetest balm of every woe,
840

Mildest sovereign, hear us now ;
840

Hear thy wretched suppliant's vow ;
840

His eyes in gentle slumbers close.
840

And continue his repose ;
840

Hear thy wretched suppliant's tow,
840

Great physician, hear us now.

And now, my son, what best may suit thy purpose

Consider well, and how we are to act.

What more can we expect? The time is come ;

For better far is opportunity

Seized at the lucky hour than all the counsels

Which wisdom dictates or which craft inspires.

Ned. He hears us not. But easy as it is

To gain the prize, it would avail us nothing

Were he not with us ? Phoebus hath reserved

For him alone the crown of victory ;

But thus to boast of what we could not do.

And break our word, were most disgraceful to us.

Chorus

The gods will guide us, fear it not, my son ;

But what thou sayst speak soft, for well thou knowst

The sick man's sleep is short. He may awake

And hear us ; therefore let us hide our purpose.

If then thou thinkst as he does — thou knowst whom—

This is the hour. At such a time, my son.

The wisest err. But mark me, the wind's fair.

And Philoctctes sleeps, void of all help —

Lame, impotent, unable to resist,

He is as one among the dead. E'en now

We'll take him with us. 'Twere an easy task.

Leave it to me, my son. There is no danger.

Ned. No more ! His eyes are open. See, he moves.

Philoctetes
Scene III.

English (Robert Potter, 1788) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Robert Potter, 1788)) — 827 focus

O sleep, that know'st not care, that know'st not pain,

Come gently-breathing, sorrow-charming king:

Veil from his eyes this light, whose glaring beams

Unshaded now are spread: come, healing pow'r! -

The hour, my son, requires deliberate thought,

Thy purpose fix'd or changed: this is the hour

To charge us with thy mandates. What avails
835

Longer delay? Occasion hath a pow'r

Surpassing all the counsels of the wise.

Neoptolemus

True, he hears nothing: but these arms in vain

We make our prize, without him if we sail;

For his the crown; he must be borne to Troy;
840

So will'd the god. How base to boast of deeds,

Which e'en with falsehood could not be achieved!

Chorus

These things, my son, the god will make his care.

But when to me thy mandates thou shalt give,

Low be thy voice; for sleep in the diseased
845

Is ever on the watch, nor seals the eyes.

What now is in thy pow'r with caution act,

And silence: if with his thy thoughts accord,

Thou know'st of whom I speak, thou seest his state,
850

Let prudence judge, unable to resist.

The gale, my son, the fav'ring gale now breathes;

He sees not, helpless as in night's dark hour

He lies, and sleep, which all his senses locks,

Aids the design; nor hand nor foot discharge

Their functions; but like one, for whom the tomb

Is open'd, see him stretched: this hath a voice

That calls us to the deed; to seize him now

Were easy; be the task to me assign'd:
860

Best is that toil on which no danger waits.

Neoptolemus

English (Sir Richard Jebb, 1904) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Sir Richard Jebb, 1904)) — 827-860 focus

Chorus

Divine Sleep, god who knows no pain, Sleep, stranger to anguish, come in favor to us, come happy, and giving happiness, great King!

Keep before his eyes such light as is spread before them now. Come to him, I pray you, come with power to heal! Son, consider what position you will take, and to what strategy you will next direct our course.
830

You see his condition now! Why should we hesitate to act? Opportunity, the umpire of all contests, often wins a great victory by one swift stroke.
835

839

Neoptolemus

No, even though he hears nothing, I see that

we have made this bow our quarry to no end, if we sail without him. His must be the victor’s crown. It is he that the god commanded we bring. It would be a foul disgrace upon us to boast of deeds in which failure and fraud had equal parts.
840

843

Chorus

Well, the god must look to that, son. But when you answer me again,

softly, please, softly whisper your words. For sick men’s restless sleep is quick to vision. But, please, use your utmost care to win that prize,
845

that great prize, by stealth. For if you maintain your present purpose towards this man—you know what purpose I mean—then truly there are irremediable troubles in store, which a shrewd mind can foresee.
850

855

Chorus

Now, son, a fair wind blows you on your way: sightless and helpless, the man lies stretched in darkness—sleep in the heat is sound—
855

with no command of hands or feet, but stripped of all his powers, like one who rests with Hades. Take note, see if your pronouncements are seasonable. So far as my thoughts can seize the truth, boy, the best strategy is that which stirs no alarm.
860

Sir Richard C. Jebb Commentary on Sophocles: Philoctetes 6

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

827-864

Current edition Experimental

ΦΙΛΟΚΤΗΤΗΣ.

ΣΟΦΟΚΛΕΟΥΣ

ΝΕ.

ΧΟ.

ἀντ.

ΦΙΛΟΚΤΗΤΗΣ.

ΣΟΦΟΚΛΕΟΥΣ

ΦΙΛΟΚΤΗΤΗΣ.

ΧΟ.

τὸ δ᾽ τόδ' ἁλώσιμον ἀμᾷ ἐμᾶ ἐμῇ φροντίδι, παῖ, πόνος

ὁ μὴ φοβῶν κράτιστος.

ΝΕ.

NEO

He hears not. But I see that to have ta’en

His bow without him were a bootless gain

He must sail with us. So the god hath said
840

Heaven hath decreed this garland for his head:

And to have failed with falsehood were a meed

Of shameful soilure for a shameless deed.

CH

NEO

Neoptolemos.

Wohl, er vernimmt nichts mehr. Doch glaube mir, daß wir des Bogens
810

Beute vergeblich errungen, entschiffen wir ohne den Mann hier.

Denn sein wartet der Kranz, ihn hieß uns bringen die Gottheit.

Unvollendeter That mit Lug sich zu rühmen, wie schmachvoll!

Gegenstrophe.

Der Chor.

Neoptolemos.

Chorus

The gods will guide us, fear it not, my son ;

But what thou sayst speak soft, for well thou knowst

The sick man's sleep is short. He may awake

And hear us ; therefore let us hide our purpose.

If then thou thinkst as he does — thou knowst whom—

This is the hour. At such a time, my son.

The wisest err. But mark me, the wind's fair.

And Philoctctes sleeps, void of all help —

Lame, impotent, unable to resist,

He is as one among the dead. E'en now

We'll take him with us. 'Twere an easy task.

Leave it to me, my son. There is no danger.

Ned. No more ! His eyes are open. See, he moves.

Philoctetes
Scene III.

Neoptolemus

True, he hears nothing: but these arms in vain

We make our prize, without him if we sail;

For his the crown; he must be borne to Troy;
840

So will'd the god. How base to boast of deeds,

Which e'en with falsehood could not be achieved!

Chorus

Aids the design; nor hand nor foot discharge

Their functions; but like one, for whom the tomb

Is open'd, see him stretched: this hath a voice

That calls us to the deed; to seize him now

Were easy; be the task to me assign'd:
860

Best is that toil on which no danger waits.

Neoptolemus

Stable identifiers

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

827-864

Current edition Experimental

ΦΙΛΟΚΤΗΤΗΣ.

ΣΟΦΟΚΛΕΟΥΣ

ΝΕ.

ΧΟ. ἀντ.

ΦΙΛΟΚΤΗΤΗΣ.

ΣΟΦΟΚΛΕΟΥΣ

ΦΙΛΟΚΤΗΤΗΣ.

ΧΟ. τὸ δ᾽ τόδ' ἁλώσιμον ἀμᾷ ἐμᾶ ἐμῇ φροντίδι, παῖ, πόνος ὁ μὴ φοβῶν κράτιστος.

ΝΕ.

NEO

He hears not. But I see that to have ta’en His bow without him were a bootless gain He must sail with us. So the god hath said 840 Heaven hath decreed this garland for his head: And to have failed with falsehood were a meed Of shameful soilure for a shameless deed.

CH

NEO

Neoptolemos.

Wohl, er vernimmt nichts mehr. Doch glaube mir, daß wir des Bogens 810 Beute vergeblich errungen, entschiffen wir ohne den Mann hier. Denn sein wartet der Kranz, ihn hieß uns bringen die Gottheit. Unvollendeter That mit Lug sich zu rühmen, wie schmachvoll! Gegenstrophe.

Der Chor.

Neoptolemos.

Chorus

The gods will guide us, fear it not, my son ; But what thou sayst speak soft, for well thou knowst The sick man's sleep is short. He may awake And hear us ; therefore let us hide our purpose. If then thou thinkst as he does — thou knowst whom—

This is the hour. At such a time, my son. The wisest err. But mark me, the wind's fair. And Philoctctes sleeps, void of all help — Lame, impotent, unable to resist, He is as one among the dead. E'en now

We'll take him with us. 'Twere an easy task. Leave it to me, my son. There is no danger. Ned. No more ! His eyes are open. See, he moves.

Philoctetes Scene III.

Neoptolemus

True, he hears nothing: but these arms in vain We make our prize, without him if we sail; For his the crown; he must be borne to Troy; 840 So will'd the god. How base to boast of deeds, Which e'en with falsehood could not be achieved!

Chorus

Aids the design; nor hand nor foot discharge Their functions; but like one, for whom the tomb Is open'd, see him stretched: this hath a voice That calls us to the deed; to seize him now Were easy; be the task to me assign'd: 860 Best is that toil on which no danger waits.

Neoptolemus

Stable identifiers

ΧΟ.

ἀντ.

ΧΟ.

τὸ δ᾽ τόδ' ἁλώσιμον ἀμᾷ ἐμᾶ ἐμῇ φροντίδι, παῖ, πόνος

ὁ μὴ φοβῶν κράτιστος.

He hears not. But I see that to have ta’en

His bow without him were a bootless gain

He must sail with us. So the god hath said
840

Heaven hath decreed this garland for his head:

And to have failed with falsehood were a meed

Of shameful soilure for a shameless deed.

Wohl, er vernimmt nichts mehr. Doch glaube mir, daß wir des Bogens
810

Beute vergeblich errungen, entschiffen wir ohne den Mann hier.

Denn sein wartet der Kranz, ihn hieß uns bringen die Gottheit.

Unvollendeter That mit Lug sich zu rühmen, wie schmachvoll!

Gegenstrophe.

The gods will guide us, fear it not, my son ;

But what thou sayst speak soft, for well thou knowst

The sick man's sleep is short. He may awake

And hear us ; therefore let us hide our purpose.

If then thou thinkst as he does — thou knowst whom—

This is the hour. At such a time, my son.

The wisest err. But mark me, the wind's fair.

And Philoctctes sleeps, void of all help —

Lame, impotent, unable to resist,

He is as one among the dead. E'en now

We'll take him with us. 'Twere an easy task.

Leave it to me, my son. There is no danger.

Ned. No more ! His eyes are open. See, he moves.

Philoctetes
Scene III.

True, he hears nothing: but these arms in vain

We make our prize, without him if we sail;

For his the crown; he must be borne to Troy;
840

So will'd the god. How base to boast of deeds,

Which e'en with falsehood could not be achieved!

Aids the design; nor hand nor foot discharge

Their functions; but like one, for whom the tomb

Is open'd, see him stretched: this hath a voice

That calls us to the deed; to seize him now

Were easy; be the task to me assign'd:
860

Best is that toil on which no danger waits.