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821-862

Third

στάσιμον

. 1st strophe (821—830)=1st antistrophe (831 —840): 2nd str. (841—851)=2nd antistr. (852—862). For the metres see Metrical Analysis.

The oracle given twelve years ago is being fulfilled; Heracles is doomed. Deianeira has been the unconscious instrument of fate. And in all this can be seen the work of Aphroditè.

ἴδ’ : though several persons are addressed, the sing. is used (as in O.C. 1463), since

ἰδέ

could be a mere interjec tion; cp. Od.3. 332

ἄγε τάμνετε

: Ar. Th.788

φέρε δή νυν

, | ...

τί γαμεῖθ’ ἡμᾶς

; id. Ar. Pax383

εἰπέ μοι, τί πάσχετ’, ὦνδρες

;

προσέμειξεν , intrans., as in Ph.106 (where see n. on the spelling), ‘has come to close quarters with us,’ instead of merely threatening from a distance. As παλαιφάτου indicates, the poet was thinking of Od.9. 507

ἦ μάλα δή με παλαίφατα θέσφαθ’ ἱκάνει

θεοπρόπον , ‘oracular’: usu. connected with

πρέπω

(intrans.), as=‘appearing from a god’; though Buttmann explains it by

θεὸς πρέπει

(trans.), ‘a god sends a sign.’ Acc. to another view,

θεοπρόπος

is ‘one who prays to a god’ (as though the rt

προπ‐

were akin to Lat. prec: Leaf, Il.1. 85 ).

τᾶς παλαιφάτου προνοίας , the (divine) prescience which was declared (which found utterance) long ago: viz., twelve years ago, at Dodona: see 44 n. Cp. Soph. Ph.637

θείᾳ προνοίᾳ

, ‘with inspired foresight.’ Soph. O. C. 454 (

μαντεῖα

)

παλαίφαθ’

ὅ τ’ , neut. of the epic relat.

ὅς τε

: cp. El.151

ἅ τ’

(

ἥ τ’

). There is no metrical ground for reading ἅ τ’ (fem.) here, since the syllable, forming the anacrusis of the verse, is properly short: in the antistrophic v. El., 834 , ὃν before

τέκετο

is a long substituted for a short.

ἔλακεν , of oracular utterance, Ant.1094.

ἐκφέροι , intrans., ‘come to an end’: schol.

παρέλθοι

. Anintrans.

ἐκφέρειν

occurs elsewhere only as meaning ‘to shoot ahead’ in a race: see on O. C.1424 (where

ἐκφέρει

is best taken as 2nd pers. pres. midd., ‘fulfil for thyself’). But the sense found here is parallel with that of the intrans.

ἐκδιδόναι

and

ἐξιέναι

, as said of rivers, ‘to issue.’

δωδέκατος ἄροτος : the twelfth year from the time when the oracle was given at Dodona: see n. on 44. Apollodorus names the same term, though, acc. to his version, the oracle was given at Delphi (2. 4. 12).

This is the only passage of the play which mentions the period of twelve years. In 44 f. and 164 f., the reference is merely to the fifteen months which, when Heracles left home, were still wanting to those twelve years. It may be asked, then, whence the Chorus derive their knowledge of the twelve years; for Deianeira, in 155 ff., speaks as if they had not then heard of the oracle. The answer is simply that this inconsistency of detail was overlooked by the poet; the term of twelve years was in his mind, as a familiar part of the story; and he forgot that, if the Chorus were to know it, Deianeira ought to have mentioned it.

Needless difficulties have been made by assuming that the allusion here must be to the fifteen months of 44 f. and 164 f. Even then, however, it has to be supposed that ‘twelve months’ are put loosely for ‘fifteen.’

ἄροτος , ‘year’: 69 n.

ἀναδοχὰν τελεῖν (fut.) πόνων : the subject to the inf. is

αὐτόν

supplied from

ἄροτος

: ‘that it (the twelfth year) should end the succession of toils.’ τελεῖν could not be intrans., with

ἀναδοχάν

for subject. The apparently intrans. use of the verb is limited to such phrases as the following: El.1419

τελοῦσ’ ἀραί

(are doing their work): Aesch. Th. 659

εἰσόμεσθ’ ὅπῃ τελεῖ

(‘how the god will ordain’): cp. Aesch. Ch. 1021 , Aesch. Pers.225.

αὐτόπαιδι : schol.

γνησίῳ παιδί

: cp.

αὐτανέψιος.— ὀρθῶς

, i.e., at the due moment ( cp. 173 ):

ὀρθός

is oft. thus said of oracles coming true: O. T.853 : O. C.1424 : Ant.1178.

ἔμπεδα , without fail: cp. 487 .

κατουρίζει , intrans., are coming into haven before a fair wind: schol.

ὥσπερ οὐρίῳ πνεύματι προσορμεῖ ἡμῖν κατ’ ὀρθὸν ἀνυόμενα

. This compound does not occur elsewhere: but cp. Ar. Th.1226

τρέχε νυν κατὰ τοὺς κόρακας ἐπουρίσας

ὁ μὴ λεύσσων =

ὁ μὴ βλέπων

, the dead. Though this absol. use of

λεύσσειν

is found only here, it does not warrant suspicion.

ἐπίπονον … λατρείαν . The insertion of πόνων , due to Gleditsch, is made probable by the text of the antistrophe: f. For the phrase, cp. 356

πόνων

λατρεύματ’

. And for

ἐπίπονον

along with

πόνων

, cp. Ant.502 n. Other views of this verse are given in the Appendix on 839 f.

φονίᾳ νεφέλᾳ , dat. of circumstance, ‘with a cloud of death around him’: cp. Il.16. 350

θανάτου δὲ μέλαν νέφος ἀμφεκάλυψεν

. There is perhaps a reminiscence of Pindar N. 9. 37

φόνου

παρποδίου νεφέλαν

(referring to battle). The image might be partly suggested by the vivid description, which the Chorus have just heard, of Heracles in his agony, with the altar-smoke hanging around him: the

πρόσεδρος λιγνύς

(794) was indeed, for him, a

φονία νεφέλη

Others understand: (1) ‘in the Centaur's deadly net.’

νεφέλη

was a kind of bird-net used by fowlers: in Anthol. 6. 11. 2 it is called

λεπτόμιτος

, ‘of fine texture,’ and distinguished from the hunter's

δολιχὸν δίκτυον

. Cp. 1052

ὑφαντὸν ἀμφίβληστρον

, and 1057

πέδῃ

. But it seems doubtful whether this use of

νεφέλη

would have been suitable to Tragedy. (2) ‘The deadly envelopment,’— i.e., the robe, compared to a cloud which obscures the sun.

Κενταύρου … δολοποιὸς ἀνάγκα , the Centaur's insidious constraint; i.e., the inevitable doom, brought upon him by the Centaur's guile. The adj. is properly active in sense, ‘contriving fraud’; cp.

παιδοποιός, σιτοποιός

. In O. C.698 the passive sense of

αὐτοποιόν

(‘selfproduced’) is exceptional.

χρίει , irritates, torments: Aesch. P. V.567

χρίει τις αὖ με τὰν τάλαιναν οἶστρος

. This sense, like that of ‘anointing,’ comes from the primary sense, to ‘graze,’ or ‘rub.’

πλευρά from

πλευρόν

: for the second acc., cp. Ph.1301

μέθες με... χεῖρα

834 The MSS. have

ὃν τέκετο θάνατος, ἔτεκε δ’ αἰόλος δράκων

. This has been explained as if

θάνατος

were the father and the

δράκων

(hydra) the mother. But usage does not warrant such a pointed antithesis between

τίκτομαι

(midd.) and

τίκτω

. The poets apply either voice to either parent: see, e.g., Il.6. 154

ὁ δ’ ἄρα Γλαῦκον τέκεθ’ υἱόν

, |

αὐτὰρ Γλαῦκος ἔτικτεν ἀμύμονα Βελλεροφόντην

: ib. 2. 728

ἔτεκεν Ῥήνη

, and 742

τέκετο κλυτὸς Ἱπποδάμεια

. Lobeck's correction of ἔτεκε to ἔτρεφε is a certain one.— αἰόλος : cp. 11 .

ἀέλιον , with α^ , the rarer quantity: cp. Ant.100 n.

ὕδρας … φάσματι , monstrous hydra: cp. 508

φάσμα ταύρου

. προστετακὼς , ‘close-locked’ in the <*>eadly grip of the monster. The word came to the poet's mind through a consciousness of the literal meaning,—viz., that the hero's flesh is ‘glued’ to the robe. Thi<*> very trait, so thoroughly Sophoclean, confirms the soundness of the text. (Cp. Ant.117 n.) The context ( μελαγχαίτα δ’ etc.) further confirms it. As the Chorus picture the turments of Heracles, two dread shapes rise before their thought,—the hydra, who nursed the venom, and the Centaur, through whose blood it works.—For the proposed emendations of φάσματι , see Appendix.

μελαγχαίτα (gen.): Scut. 186

μελαγχαίτην τε Μίμαντα

. Cp. above, 557 n.

ἄμμιγα =

ἀνάμιγα

( cp. 519 ): Dem. or. 21 § 52 (in a

μαντεία

ἱστάναι ὡραίων Βρομίῳ χάριν ἄμμιγα πάντας

(‘promiscuously,’ i.e. of mixed fruits). Here the sense seems to be, ‘confusedly’; there is a tumult of pangs: cp. 1053 ff. The objection of taking it as merely ‘therewith,’ or ‘at the same time,’ is that the

κέντρα

are only the workings of the hydra's venom.

It has long been the general belief that the words νέσου (or νέσσου ) θ’ ὕπο , found in the MSS., have arisen from a gloss,—the name of Nessus having been introduced to explain μελαγχαίτα . But otherwise there has been little agreement. The views of various critics are given in the Appendix.

Here I may briefly state my own conclusions. (1) μελαγχαίτα , ‘the blackhaired one,’ could probably stand without a substantive, or proper name,—esp. as

Κενταύρου

has occurred not far back; though it would be somewhat harsh.

(2) Comparing v. 830 with v. 840, we see that the words

ἔχοι θανὼν λατρείαν

in 830 correspond metrically with

‐α^ κέντρ’ ἐπιζέσαντα

. The words

ἔτι ποτ’ ἔτ’ ἐπίπονον

in 830 ought therefore to correspond with what stands between

αἰκίζει

in 839 and the

α^

before

κέντῤ

in 840: viz., acc. to the MSS.,

νέσου

(or

νέσσου

)

θ’ ὕπο φοίνια δολόμυθ‐

(3) Now, if νέσου θ’ ὕπο were ejected, this correspondence would be obtained by reading ὑπόφονα (instead of

φοίνια

) δολόμυθα . The form

ὑπόφονος

, though not extant, is correct (cp.

ἀπόφονος

in Eur. Or.163 Eur. Or., 192 ). The

κέντρα

would be

ὑπόφονα

as being ‘secretly fraught with death.’ The hiatus in

αἰκίζει

ὑπόφονα

is not unexampled, though it has not the usual excuse of a slight pause: cp. 833 f., 846 f.; Ph.832 n. Such a hiatus has been assumed here by Hermann and others. It might be avoided, however, by reading φόνια δολιόμυθα . The forms

δολόμυθος

and

δολιόμυθος

are equally correct: cp.

δολόμητις

and

δολιόμητις, δολόφρων

and

δολιόφρων

. In this case, the origin of ὕπο would remain obscure.

(4) But a closer adherence to the MS. text becomes possible, if, with Gleditsch, we read Νέσσου ὑποφόνια δολιόμυθα κέντρ’ ἐπιζέσαντα , and in 830 ἔτι ποτ’ ἔτ’ ἐπίπονον <πόνων> ἔχοι θανὼν λατρείαν . The form

ὑποφόνιος

occurs in the neut. pl.

ὑποφόνια

, as a subst., meaning the

ποινή

paid to the kinsfolk of a slain man (Harpocr.). The great recommendation of this reading is that it fully accounts for the traditional text here,— the insertion in the MSS. of

θ’

before

ὕπο

being a trivial error of a common type; while in 830

πόνων

might easily have dropped out after

ἐπίπονον

ὧν … ἄοκνος , quorum secura ( cp. 23 ): she had no apprehension of such results. The MS. ἄοκνον , an epithet of

βλάβαν

, is explained as ‘not shrinking,’ i.e., ‘not delaying,’ ‘hastening on.’ But ( a) such a personification is strange; and ( b)

ὧν

has then to be taken, somewhat awkwardly, with

τὰ μὲν

in 843.

προσορῶσα is confirmed, as against the plausible προορῶσα (Blaydes), by the fact that Deianeira had seen Iolè's arrival. She did not merely ‘foresee’ evil; she had ‘beheld’ it coming.

ἀΐσσουσαν , Nauck's correction of ἀϊσσόντων , is acceptable, because ‘swift coming’ should be that of the

βλάβη

, rather than of the

γάμοι

: since γάμων here means simply the new tie,—not a formal marriage which was in prospect: cp. 460

ἔγημε

(n.), Ant.185

τὴν ἄτην ὁρῶν

στείχουσαν ἀστοῖς. νέων ἀϊσσόντων γάμων

would be a gen. absol., ‘as a new marriage was hastening on.’

τὰ μὲν αὐτὰ προσέβαλε : the remedial measures were her own; their results, due to Nessus, were not foreseen by her.

προσέβαλε

=‘applied,’ as a remedy to a disease: cp. 580 . Others explain, ‘brought upon herself’ ( sc.

ἑαυτῇ

): but this would rèquire

αὑτᾷ

in place of

αὐτά

The MS. reading,

τὰ μὲν οὔ τι προσέβαλε

, is explained to mean, ‘part she did not comprehend’ (schol.

οὐκ ἔγνω, οὐ συνῆκεν

): i.e., she had, indeed, a secret purpose, but she did not know the deadly nature of the unguent. To this there are two objections. (1) The supposed sense of

προσέβαλε

is unexampled: cp. 580 n. (2) The proper antithesis is lost; for

τὰ ἀπ’ ἀλλόθρου γνώμας μολόν<*>)

<*>ought to be opposed to her own designs or acts; but those things which she ‘did not comprehend’ were just those which ‘came from the alien will.’

ἀλλόθρου here merely=

ἀλλοτρίας

: cp. Ph.540 n.

ὀλεθρίαισι συναλλαγαῖς , causal dat., ‘through her fatal meeting, converse,’ with Nessus at the Evenus (562 ff.).—Others explain: (1) ‘by a fatal reconciliation’; either ( a) between Deianeira and Nessus, or ( b) between Deianeira and Heracles,—in so far as she resolved to pardon him. (2) ‘By fatal conjunctures, issues’: cp. O. C.410 n.

ὀλεθρίαισι is the simplest correction of the unmetrical ὀλεθρίαις : see Analysis.

ἦ που : Ph.1130 n.

ὀλοὰ is best taken here as adverbial neut. plur., ‘desperately’: though in El.844

ὀλοὰ

is nom. fem.

στένει is metrically suspicious: the corresponding word in the antistr. is

νύμφαν

(857). But no correction is probable. Hermann, writing ἦ που ἄρ’ ἀλασταίνει , cites Hesychius:

ἀλασταίνει· δυσπαθεῖ

. Arndt proposes

ἦ που ὀλὄ ἀσταίνει

,—another word which the grammarians explain by

δυσπαθεῖ

, but which is wholly obscure. The conject. of Blaydes, αἰάζει , would serve; but then στένει must be viewed as a gloss.

χλωρὰν … ἄχναν , a fresh, delicate dew; the tears fall in pearly drops. Eur. Med. 906

ἀπ’ ὄσσων χλωρὸν ὡρμήθη δάκρυ

. Pind. N.8. 40

χλωραῖς ἐέρσαις

τέγγει … ἄχναν : cp. Ai.376

ἐρεμνὸν αἷμ’ ἔδευσα

: I. T. 159

χοὰς

| ...

ὑδραίνειν

: Pind. N.10. 75

θερμὰ δὴ τέγγων δάκρυα

850 f. The μοῖρα is still ἐρχομένα , since Heracles is not yet dead. The ἄταν is his death,

δολίαν , as wrought by the guile of Nessus.

προφαίνει , ‘foreshows,’—enables us to forebode.—Hermann understood, ‘ reveals the secre<*> villainy (of Nessus).’

ἔρρωγεν παγὰ δακρύων : cp. 919 : Ant.802

ἴσχειν δ’

οὐκέτι πηγὰς δύναμαι δακρύων

. The natural sense is, ‘The stream of tears has burst forth’; i.e., ‘we all weep for this calamity.’ The words could not well mean merely, ‘a source of tears has been opened’; i.e., a woe has befallen, which will claim tears.

κέχυται νόσος , the plague has been diffused through his whole frame: cp. Ph.293

πάγου χυθέντος

, ‘spread abroad.’

ὦ πόποι : O. T.167 n.

ἀναρσίων , foes: Il.24. 365

δυσμενέες καὶ ἀνάρσιοι

. This worst of woes has come to him from his own home: cp. 1058 —1063.

The doubt as to the reading here is confined to the words between πόποι and ἐπέμολε . The traditional text is,

οἷον ἀναρσίων

οὔπω ἀγακλειτὸν Ἡρακλέους

. The v. l.

Ἡρακλέα

, found in a few of the later MSS., was apparently prompted by

ἀγακλειτόν

. In the corresponding vv. of the strophe (841 ff.), the MS. text is,

μεγάλαν προσορῶσα δόμοις βλάβαν

νέων ἀϊσσόντων γάμων, τὰ μὲν οὔ τι

: where the only doubt affecting metre is between

δόμοις

and

δόμοισι

It seems almost certain that Ἡρακλέους was a gloss, and that

τὰ μὲν οὔ τι

in the strophe answered metrically to

ἀγακλειτόν

here. The proposed emendations of this passage are classified in the Appendix. Those which eject

Ἡρακλέους

follow one of two methods. (1) To read δόμοις , not

δόμοισι

, in 842: to insert a long syllable, beginning with a vowel (as

ἐξ

), before

ἀναρσίων

: and to supply something, equal to

˘¯

(as

ποτ’ ἄνδῤ

), between

οὔπω

and

ἀγακλειτόν

. (2) To read δόμοισι in 842: and to make such an addition to

οὔπω

as shall metrically balance

ἀϊσσόντων γάμων

. On this plan, I suggest <ὕπ)> οὔπω <τοῦδε σῶμ)> ἀγακλειτόν . The prep. goes with

ἀναρσίων

, which, without a prep., would here be somewhat harsh (as=‘from his foes’).

Ἡρακλέους

would have been a gloss on

το<*>ε

. Sophocles is fond of the periphrasis with

σῶμα

, which would be fitting here: cp. 1194 , 1210: O. C.355 : El.1233.

οἰκτίσαι , epexegetic, ‘for us to pity’ (rather than, ‘for him to lament’): cp. O. C.144

οὐ πάνυ μοίρας εὐδαιμονίσαι πρώτης

( sc.

εἰμί

κελαινὰ , ‘dark,’ referring at once to the colour of the metal, and to old stains. This general character of the epithet is seen in Eur. Bacch.628 ,

ἵεται ξίφος κελαινὸν ἁρπάσας

: where no blood has yet been shed.

προμάχου , ‘fighting in the front of battle.’ Others understand, ‘fighting on behalf of men,’ ‘champion of the oppressed’ ( cp. 1011 ); the sense, probably, in which Heracles was styled

Πρόμαχος

at Thebes ( Paus.9. 11. 4 ). But the war upon Oechalia hardly illustrated that character.

αἰχμᾷ , in the sense of ‘prowess,’ ‘warlike might,’ can follow

λόγχα προμάχου δορός

, since the latter is really an image for the warrior himself. Cp. 355

αἰχμάσαι

(n.).

θοὰν here is merely abverbial,=

ταχέως

. So Od.2. 257

λῦσεν δ’ ἀγορὴν αἰψηρήν

= Il.2. 808

αἶψα δ’ ἔλυσ’ ἀγορήν

. Od.8. 38

θοὴν ἀλεγύνετε δαῖτα

, ‘quickly fall to feasting.’

αἰπεινᾶς : cp. 327 n.

ἀμφίπολος and ἄναυδος , both epithets of

Κύπρις

, are to be taken closely together,—‘ministering in silence,’—viz., to the purposes of the gods,—not to the desire of Heracles. Some regard α as a pron., with which

Κύπρις

is in apposition, (‘but she,’ etc.,) like Ph.371

ὁ δ’ εἶπ’ Ὀδυσσεύς

(n.): but it is simpler to take it as an ordinary article. For the order of words, cp. O. T.1199

τὰν γαμψώνυχα παρθένον χρησμῳδόν

(n.).

The ‘silence’ of Aphroditè means that the passion of Heracles had not been avowed as his motive for the war ( cp. 358 ). She has been revealed as the φανερὰ πράκτωρ , because that motive has now been disclosed as supreme. For

πράκτωρ

fem., cp. O. T.81 n.

Commentary on Sophocles: Trachiniae. 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)) — 821 focus

ἴδ᾽ οἷον, ὦ παῖδες, προσέμιξεν ἄφαρ

τοὔπος τοῦ προς τοῦπος τὸ θεοπρόπον ἡμῖν

τᾶς παλαιφάτου σ προνοίας,

ἅ ὅ τ᾽ ἔλακεν, ὁπότε τελεόμηνος ἐκφέροι

δωδέκατος ἄροτος ἄροτροσ ἄροτος, ἀναδοχὰν ἀναδοχὰν τελεῖν πόνων
825

τῷ Διὸς αὐτόπαιδι· καὶ τάδ᾽ ὀρθῶς

ἔμπεδα κατουρίζει.

πῶς γὰρ ἂν ὁ μὴ λεύσσων λεύσων λεύσσων

ἔτι ποτ᾿ ἔτ᾽ ἐπίπονόν γ᾽ om. ἔχοι ἔχοι

θανὼν λατρείαν ;
830

εἰ γάρ σφε Κενταύρου φονίᾳ νεφέλᾳ φοινίᾶι νεφέλαι φονίᾳ νεφέλα φοινίᾳ

χρίει δολοποιὸς ἀνάγκα ἀνάγκα

πλευρὰ πλευραῖ πλευρᾶ πλευρά προστακέντος ἰοῦ,

ὃν τέκετο θάνατος, ἔτεκε δ᾽ αἰόλος δράκων,

πῶς ὅδ᾽ ἂν ἀέλιον ἅλιον ἀέλιον ἕτερον ἢ τανῦν τὰ νῦν τανῦν ἴδοι,
835

δεινοτάτῳ ο from ω δεινοτάτῳ μὲν ὕδρας προστετακὼς

φάσματι, μελαγχαίτα τ

ἄμμιγά νιν αἰκίζει

*ὑποφόνια νέσσου θ᾽ ὕπο φοίνια νέσσου θ᾽ ὕπο φοίνια δολόμυθα κέντρ᾽

ἐπιζέσαντα.
840

ὧν ἅδ᾽ ἁ τλάμων ἄοκνον

μεγάλαν προσορῶσα δόμοις βλάβαν

νέων ἀϊσσόντων γάμων τὰ μὲν οὔτι

προσέβαλε προσέβαλλε προσέβαλε προσέβαλεν, τὰ δ᾽ ἀπ᾿ ἐπ᾿ ἀλλόθρου ἀλλοθρόου ἀλόθρου ἀλλύθρου

¹

γνώμας μολόντ' †ὀλεθρίαις ξυναλλαγαῖς
845

ἢ ἢ που ὀλοὰ στένει,

ἢ ἡ που ἀδινῶν χλωρὰν

τέγγει δακρύων ἄχναν.
850

ὁ δ᾽ ἐρχομένα μοῖρα προφαίνει δολίαν

καὶ μεγάλαν ἄταν.

ἔρρωγεν παγὰ δακρύων,

κέχυται νόσος, ὦ πόποι, οἷον *οὐκ

ἀναρσίων *῾Ηρακλέους ἀγάκλειτον *

855

ἐπέμολε ἀπέμολε πάθος οἰκτίσαι.

†ἰὼ κελαινὰ λόγχα προμάχου δορός,†

ἃ τότε θοὰν νύμφαν

ἄγαγες ἀπ' αἰπενῆς

τάνδ' Οἰχαλίας جه
860

ὁ δ' ἀμοίπολος Κύπρις ἄναιδος φανερὰ

τῶν᾽᾽ ἐφάνη πράκτωρ.

ΗΜ.α.

Greek (F. Storr, 1912) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (F. Storr, 1912)) — 821-861 focus

Χορός

ἴδʼ οἷον, ὦ παῖδες, προσέμιξεν ἄφαρ

τοὔπος τὸ θεοπρόπον ἡμῖν

τᾶς παλαιφάτου προνοίας,

ὅ τʼ ἔλακεν, ὁπότε τελεόμηνος ἐκφέροι

δωδέκατος ἄροτος, ἀναδοχὰν τελεῖν πόνων
825

τῷ Διὸς αὐτόπαιδι· καὶ τάδʼ ὀρθῶς

ἔμπεδα κατουρίζει. πῶς γὰρ ἂν ὁ μὴ λεύσσων

ἔτι ποτʼ ἔτʼ ἐπίπονον πόνων ἔχοι θανὼν λατρείαν;
830

831

Χορός

εἰ γάρ σφε Κενταύρου φονίᾳ νεφέλᾳ

χρίει δολοποιὸς ἀνάγκα

πλευρά, προστακέντος ἰοῦ,

ὃν τέκετο θάνατος, ἔτρεφε δʼ αἰόλος δράκων,

πῶς ὅδʼ ἂν ἀέλιον ἕτερον ἢ τανῦν ἴδοι,
835

δεινοτάτῳ μὲν ὕδρας προστετακὼς

φάσματι; μελαγχαίτα δʼ ἄμμιγά νιν αἰκίζει

Νέσσου ὑποφόνια δολιόμυθα κέντρʼ ἐπιζέσαντα.
840

841

Χορός

ὧν ἅδʼ ἁ τλάμων ἄοκνος μεγάλαν προορῶσα

δόμοισι βλάβαν νέων

ἀΐσσουσαν γάμων τὰ μὲν αὐτὰ προσέβαλε, τὰ

δʼ ἀπʼ ἀλλόθρου

γνώμας μολόντʼ ὀλεθρίαισι συναλλαγαῖς
845

ἦ που ὀλοὰ στένει,

ἦ που ἀδινῶν χλωρὰν

τέγγει δακρύων ἄχναν.

ἁ δʼ ἐρχομένα μοῖρα προφαίνει δολίαν
850

καὶ μεγάλαν ἄταν.

852

Χορός

ἔρρωγεν παγὰ δακρύων· κέχυται νόσος, ὦ πόποι,

οἷον ἀναρσίων

οὔπω Ἡρακλέους ἀγακλειτὸν ἐπέμολε πάθος οἰκτίσαι.

ἰὼ κελαινὰ λόγχα προμάχου δορός,
855

ἃ τότε θοὰν νύμφαν

ἄγαγες ἀπʼ αἰπεινᾶς

τάνδʼ Οἰχαλίας αἰχμᾷ·

ἁ δʼ ἀμφίπολος Κύπρις ἄναυδος φανερὰ
860

τῶνδʼ ἐφάνη πράκτωρ.

Translations (5)

English (Lewis Campbell, 1906) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Lewis Campbell, 1906)) — 813 focus

Why steal’st thou forth in silence? Know’st thou not

German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review) (OCR draft) Experimental (German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review)) — 821 focus

Wie bald, o Jungfrau'n - seht ihr es? wie sich so
810

Erfüllen die Gottesorakel bald

Aus dem Mund der alten Weisheit,

Welche verhießen, sobald der zwölfte Sommer ihm

Schwand in der Monde Geleit, erreiche seiner Müh'n

Ende der Sohn des Zeus! Und solches schreitet
815

Unverrückt dem Ziele zu.

Nimmer ja bedrängt, nimmer,

Den Geschiedenen, der sein Auge schloß,

Arbeit und Drangsal.

Erste Gegenstrophe.

Denn wenn die unabwendbare trügliche Kunst
820

Mit tödtendem Hauche des Neffos,

Mit dem Gift ihm tränkt die Glieder,

Welches erzeugte der Tod, die Drachenbrut gebar:

Wie könnt' er andere Sonnen noch als diese schau'n,

Von der Gewalt umstrickt der grausen Hydra?
825

Und zugleich in tiefer Brust

Brennen ihm des Schwarzlocki-

gen betrüglichen Worte, Stacheln gleich,¹

Den Mord vergeltend.

Zweite Strophe.

Sie ahnte den Trug nicht,
830

Die Bedrängte, sie sah nur das Iammergeschick von dem neuen Bund

Ihr Haus rastlos bedroh'n;

Des tückevollen Rathes Sinn

Verstand sie nicht, den Quell grausen Verhängnisses.

Wohl jammert sie kläglich nun,
835

Wohl feuchtet die Wang' ihr zart

Frischquellender Thränen Thau.

Da kommt das Geschick, das des Betrugs gräßliche Schuld offen an's Licht fördert.

Zweite Gegenstrophe.

Hell strömt mir die Zähre:

Es ergoß sich (o Götter!) ein Uebel, wie nie von dem Feinde selbst
840

Kronions hohen Sohn

Ein Loos zu seiner Qual umfing.

Weh, düstrer Speer, voran herrschend im Kampfgewühl,

Der dort so behend die Braut

Siegreich von Dechalia's
845

Hochragender Burg entführt!

Wohl helfend erschien Kypria dir, welche der Lieb' heimlichen Bund knüpfte.

Der Chor. Bald darauf die Amme.

Der erste Halbchor.

English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759)) — 813 focus

Whence this abrupt departure? Knowst thou

English (Robert Potter, 1788) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Robert Potter, 1788)) — 813 focus

Without reply why dost thou haste away?

English (Sir Richard Jebb, 1904) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Sir Richard Jebb, 1904)) — 821-860 focus

Chorus

See, maidens, how suddenly the divine word of the old prophecy has closed upon us, which allotted this destiny: that when the twelfth year

with its full complement of months should have come to an end, it would complete the undertaking of toils for the true-born son of Zeus! And that promise rides before a steady wind to sure fulfillment. For how shall he who does not see the light of day
825

ever have toilsome servitude any more in death?
830

831

Chorus

For if the Centaur’s deceitful torture smears his sides with a murderous net, where clings the venom which Death birthed and the gleaming serpent nourished,

how can he look upon tomorrow’s sun, when that appalling Hydra-shape grasps him? Those murderous goads, prepared
835

by the deceptive words of black-haired Nessus, torment him with confused thrashing and seethe on his skin.
840

841

Chorus

In these matters this miserable lady had no apprehension, when she foresaw in the new marriage a great plague swiftly rushing upon her household. Her own hand applied the drug. But no doubt for the results yielded by a stranger’s

counsel, given at a fatal meeting—for these she despairingly groans and sheds a tender dew of thickly-falling tears.
845

And the coming fate foreshadows a great disaster, contrived by guile.
850

852

Chorus

Our streaming tears break forth. Ah, no! An infection pours over him, an illness more to be pitied

than any suffering that adversaries ever brought upon that glorious hero. Ah, you dark head of the spear foremost in battle, who by your mighty point recently led that swift bride from Oechalia ’s heights!
855

But the Cyprian goddess, ministering in silence, has been plainly proved the author of these deeds.
860

Sir Richard C. Jebb Commentary on Sophocles: Trachiniae 8

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

821-862

Current edition Experimental

τοὔπος τοῦ προς τοῦπος τὸ θεοπρόπον ἡμῖν

τᾶς παλαιφάτου σ προνοίας,

τέγγει δακρύων ἄχναν.
850

ὁ δ᾽ ἐρχομένα μοῖρα προφαίνει δολίαν

καὶ μεγάλαν ἄταν.

ἄγαγες ἀπ' αἰπενῆς

τάνδ' Οἰχαλίας جه
860

ὁ δ' ἀμοίπολος Κύπρις ἄναιδος φανερὰ

τῶν᾽᾽ ἐφάνη πράκτωρ.

ΗΜ.α.

Why steal’st thou forth in silence? Know’st thou not

Der erste Halbchor.

Whence this abrupt departure? Knowst thou

Without reply why dost thou haste away?

Stable identifiers

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

821-862

Current edition Experimental

τοὔπος τοῦ προς τοῦπος τὸ θεοπρόπον ἡμῖν τᾶς παλαιφάτου σ προνοίας,

τέγγει δακρύων ἄχναν. 850 ὁ δ᾽ ἐρχομένα μοῖρα προφαίνει δολίαν καὶ μεγάλαν ἄταν.

ἄγαγες ἀπ' αἰπενῆς τάνδ' Οἰχαλίας جه 860 ὁ δ' ἀμοίπολος Κύπρις ἄναιδος φανερὰ τῶν᾽᾽ ἐφάνη πράκτωρ.

ΗΜ.α.

Why steal’st thou forth in silence? Know’st thou not

Der erste Halbchor.

Whence this abrupt departure? Knowst thou

Without reply why dost thou haste away?

Stable identifiers

τοὔπος τοῦ προς τοῦπος τὸ θεοπρόπον ἡμῖν

τᾶς παλαιφάτου σ προνοίας,

τέγγει δακρύων ἄχναν.
850

ὁ δ᾽ ἐρχομένα μοῖρα προφαίνει δολίαν

καὶ μεγάλαν ἄταν.

ἄγαγες ἀπ' αἰπενῆς

τάνδ' Οἰχαλίας جه
860

ὁ δ' ἀμοίπολος Κύπρις ἄναιδος φανερὰ

τῶν᾽᾽ ἐφάνη πράκτωρ.