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863-946

Fourth

ἐπεισόδιον

. The death of Deianeira.

863-870

These eight verses form an epode to the stasimon; three persons take part in the delivery, viz., the two

παραστάται

, or leaders of

ἡμιχόρια

(HM. A, HM. B), and the coryphaeus (XO.). The third part (868—870) is best assigned to the coryphaeus, who usually announces a new comer, and who would naturally conduct the dialogue with the

τροφός

. Similar epodes to stasima are Eur. H. F. 815 —821, and Eur. Hipp. 1143 — 1152, in each of which three parts can be distinguished. (See W. Christ, Metrik, § 723, p. 653 2nd ed.)

The motive of the whole passage from 863 to 898 is the dramatic necessity of making an impressive preparation for the Nurse's

ῥῆσις

. It rests with the Chorus alone to do this, since no actor is present.

Hermann supposed that, after the three leading choreutae had spoken (863 —870), each of the other twelve in turn took part in the dialogue. But this seems improbable.

μάταιος , foolish, deluded: cp. 407 n. For this fem., cp. 207

κοινὸς

(n.). In 565 we have

ματαίαις

and in 887

ματαία

, but in O. C.780

ματαίου...ἡδονῆς

τί φημί ; ‘what do I say?’ i.e., ‘what am I to say?’ Cp. O. T.1471

τί φημί

; |

οὐ δὴ κλύω που

... ;—where, as here, it expresses perplexity at a sound suddenly heard. It is only a more vivid form of

τί φῶ

; ( O. C.315 ). Hermann wrote τὶ φημί ; i.e. ‘do I say anything (true)?’—like

λέγω τι

; ( O. T.1475 ). But the pron. could not then stand first.

οὐκ ἄσημον , not doubtful (between joy and woe), ἀλλὰ δυστυχῆ , but (clearly) woful. Cp. Ph.209

διάσημα γὰρ θροεῖ.— εἴσω

: cp. 202 n.

καινίζει : schol.

ἔοικέ τι νεώτερον ἔχειν ὁ οἶκος

: the house is experiencing something for the first time,— i.e., is suffering some new calamity. So Aesch. Ag.1071

καίνισον

ζυγόν

. In Lycophron 530,

καινίσει δόρυ

, a v. l. is

κινήσει

869 The MS. reading, ἀήθης , cannot be right. The word means either (1) ‘unusual,’ or (2) ‘unaccustomed’ to a thing. Here it has been taken in the first sense, as meaning, ‘with strange aspect,’ ‘unlike herself,’— i.e., gloomy, instead of cheerful. It seems inconceivable that a classical writer should have so used

ἀήθης

The conjecture ἀηδὴς has been generally received; but this presents almost equal difficulties. As applied to persons, it regularly means, ‘disagreeable’; Eth. N. 2. 7 (p. 1108 a 29)

ὁ...ἐν πᾶσιν ἀηδὴς δύσερίς τις καὶ δύσκολος

: Magn. Mor. 2. 3 (p. 1200 a 15)

ὑπερόπτας καὶ ἀηδεῖς

. Here it ought to mean, ‘of sad aspect’; it never occurs, however, in that sense. Hesychius has, indeed,

ἀηδές· στυγνὸν, λυπηρόν

: but this paraphrase of the neuter proves nothing. In O. T.82

ἡδύς

is not ‘joyous-looking,’ but ‘welcome.’

Surely ἀήθης was merely a corruption of ἀ ( γ ) ηθής , which does not seem to occur, but which is as correct as

εὐγηθής

πολυγηθής

.—Cp. Eur. Alc.777

στυγνῷ προσώπῳ καὶ συνωφρυωμένῳ

σημανοῦσα , as a correction of σημαίνουσα , is not merely recommended by usage, but is necessary, unless the

τροφός

be supposed to make signs before she speaks.

Ἡρακλεῖ τὸ πόμπιμον =

τὸ Ἡρ. πόμπ

.: cp. O. C.714

ἵπποισιν τὸν ἀκεστῆρα χαλινόν

: Ai.1166

βροτοῖς τὸν ἀείμνηστον

τάφον. πόμπιμον

here=

πεμπτόν

, as in Eur. Hipp.579

πομπίμα φάτις δωμάτων

ἡ ἐκ δωμ. πεμφθεῖσα

καινοποιηθὲν : a verb not elsewhere found in writers of this age, but frequent later; cp. Polyb. 1. 4. 5

πολλὰ γὰρ αὕτη

( sc.

ἡ τύχη

)

καινοποιοῦσα κ.τ.λ.

ἐξ ἀκινήτου ποδός :

ἐκ

expresses the condition; cp. El.455

ἐξ ὑπερτέρας χερός

: Ph.91 n. This is one of those proverb-like turns which a homely speaker would use in the desire to be impressive.

οὐ δή ποθ’ : cp. 668 n.

πάντ’ ἀκήκοας : cp. Ant.402

πάντ’ ἐπίστασαι

, —in a similar answer.

τέθνηκεν ...; They are so bewildered that they repeat the question which has been answered: cp. 184 n.

878 For the metres of this

κομμός

(878—895), see Analysis.

ὀλεθρία , ‘undone,’ ‘lost’: a rare sense; but cp. O. T.1341

τὸν μέγ’ ὀλέθριον

. The second syll. is short, as in 845.

879 The MS. reading, σχετλιώτατα πρός γε πρᾶξιν , has been variously altered (cr. n.), in order to avoid an anapaest in the 2nd foot, on the assumption that the verse is an iambic trimeter. The neatest of such corrections is Hermann's, σχετλίῳ τὰ πρός γε πρᾶξιν .

Heinrich Schmidt, whose view of the metre will be seen in the Metrical Analysis, merely transposes

πρός

and

γε

, writing σχετλιώτατά γε πρὸς πρᾶξιν . Simplicity is not the only recommendation of this course; it transfers the stress of γε from

πρᾶξιν

to the adverb. For this sense of

σχέτλιος

, cp. Ai.887 , and n. on Ant.47.

πρᾶξιν

must be meant here the mode of ‘doing’ the deed, rather than the victim's ‘fortune’; though the latter is the usual sense of the singular ( Ant.1305 n.). After the question, τίνι τρόπῳ , a strong emphasis on πρᾶξιν would be, however, less natural. It might, indeed, be explained thus;—‘the

τρόπος

of her death was the sword; but the mode of infliction (

πρᾶξις

) rendered it peculiarly pitiable,’— since it was inflicted by her own hand.

ξυντρέχει : schol.

τίνι θανάτῳ συνέπεσεν

(cp. O. T.113

τῷδε συμπίπτει φόνῳ

). The verb is, in fact, a bold poetical substitute for

συμπίπτει

, expressing the notion of ‘suddenly encountering’ a violent death. Cp. the Homeric

συνέδραμον

, said of combatants ( Il.16. 337 ).

διηΐστωσε : the compound occurs only here. For this sense, cp. Her.3. 127

δύο ἡμέων ἠΐστωσε

τίς θυμός , what impulse of passion,

τίνες νόσοι , what pangs of frenzy ( Ai.59

φοιτῶντ’ ἄνδρα μανιάσιν νόσοις

). The words

ἢ τίνες νόσοι

are really parenthetical,—suggesting that the excited mind (

θυμός

) may have been also deranged; hence the verb can agree with

θυμός

, on which the chief stress falls.— ξυνεῖλε , corripuit, seized and carried off; cp. Thuc.2. 51 (

ὁ λοιμὸς

)

πάντα ξυνῄρει

. Not, ‘destroyed her along with Heracles.’

μόνα means merely that she alone is responsible for the death of Heracles as well as for her own. It does not anticipate the statement that she was unaided in her suicide (891).

στονόεντος : cp. Il.8. 159

βέλεα στονόεντα χέοντο

(‘dolorous darts’).

ἐν τομᾷ : the instrumental

ἐν

: Ant.1003

σπῶντας ἐν χηλαῖσιν

ὦ ματαία is said with a mixture of pity and impatience; the aged

τροφός

, in her terror and anguish, has failed to grasp the scope of the question,

πῶς ἐμήσατο

(884), and has replied merely, ‘with a sword.’ The leader of the Chorus now asks her if she was an eye-witness of the deed,—feeling that she will satisfy their anxiety only if she can be led on to describe what she has seen. Thus the bewilderment of the messenger becomes a preparation for the

ῥῆσις

τάνδ’ ὕβριν , this deed of violence (done to herself). So in El.864

λώβα

is merely a fatal accident.

ὡς δὴ … παραστάτις , sc.

οὖσα

(cp. O. C.83 n.); here

δή

=‘in fact.’ Elsewhere, when

ὡς δή

is not ironical (as it is in O. C.809 ),

δή

sometimes=

ἤδη

( Ph.1065 ). Cp. 1192 .

τίς ἦν , sc.

ἡ ὕβρις

: what was its nature? πῶς (

ἐγένετο

), how was it executed?

αὐτὴ πρὸς αὑτῆς

κ.τ.λ.

The verb

χειροποιεῖν

occurs elsewhere only in later Greek.—The exclamation which follows implies that these words add something to the disclosure made in 881,

αὑτὴν διηΐστωσε

. They certainly state more precisely that the blow was dealt by her own hand (and not by a slave's); also that the deed had its origin from her own mind (

πρὸς αὑτῆς

), and not from any external influence. But it should also be recognised that, throughout this passage (871—898), the dramatic aim is to express profound horror and amazement. The messenger can hardly seize the full meaning of the questions; the hearers, on their part, find it hard to realise the answers.

ἔτεκεν ἔτεκε δὴ . I read with H. H. Schmidt J. (cr. n.), thinking with him that the metre is probably

˘˘˘

¯˘˘

¯ Λ

||. In such a passage the text might easily have lost

δή

.—The firstborn of Iolè, that

πημονὴ ὑπόστεγος

(376), is a dire spirit which avenges the house of Eurytus on the house of Heracles. Cp. Tennyson, Guinevere: ‘Well is it that no child is born of thee. | The children born of thee are sword and fire’...

νέορτος , simply, ‘that has newly arisen’: not, ‘that has lately sped hither’ (schol.

ἡ νεωστὶ ἐνταῦθα ὁρμήσασα

ἄγαν γε , sc.

μεγάλαν

: cp. Ai.982

ΤΕ. ὦ περισπερχὲς πάθος. | ΧΟ. ἄγαν γε, Τεῦκρε.

κάρτα μᾶλλον ἂν ᾤκτισας , assuredly thou wouldst have felt greater pity.

καὶ ταῦτ’ ἔτλη τις

κ.τ.λ.

For the place of

τις

, cp. Ph.104

οὕτως ἔχει τι δεινὸν ἰσχύος θράσος

; (n.).

κτίσαι implies that the deed was momentous: schol.

κατασκευάσαι καὶ ποιῆσαι· καλῶς δὲ ὡς ἐπὶ μεγάλῳ τολμήματι εἶπεν τὴν λέξιν

. When

κτίζειν

is thus a tragic synonym for

ποιεῖν

, there is usu. a predicative adj., as Aesch. Eum.17

τέχνης δέ νιν Ζεὺς ἔνθεον κτίσας φρένα

: cp. Aesch. Suppl.138 : Aesch. Ch.441.

Hermann rejects this v. and the next, because the Chorus, not knowing the nature of the deeds (

οἷ’ ἔδρασε

), ought not yet to marvel at them. The verses were inserted, he thinks, to soften the abruptness of

ἐπεὶ παρῆλθε

(900) after

κάρτ’ ἂν ᾤκτισας

(897). It may be granted that they are not very forcible; but they seem genuine. The Nurse has hitherto been led from point to point by questions. A direct question (898) is needed to prompt her narrative. It would be less like her to begin it spontaneously.

παρῆλθε is confirmed by the usage of this compound with ref. to entering a house: O. T.1241 , El.1337 , Eur. Med.1137 , Eur. Hipp. 108 , etc. And the asyndeton is of a kind which the poet often admits; cp. 555 , 750. The conjecture γὰρ ἦλθε , which has been generally received, seems, then, unnecessary.

αὐλαῖς , the

αὐλή

of the house; a poet. plur. like

νυμφεῖα

(920),

παρθενῶνες

( Aesch. P. V.646 ), etc.

κοῖλα is not merely a general epithet (as

κοίλην

κάπετον

in Ai.1165 ), but means that the litter (

φορεῖον

) was arranged so that the sufferer could lie in it as in a hammock,—with soft bedding on each side of him as well as beneath him. His agonies made this indispensable.

στορνύνθ’ : Attic prose rarely uses this form, except in the aor.

ἐστόρεσα.— ἄψορρον ἀντῴη

, go back to meet him on his way from the harbour (804): cp. El.53

ἄψορρον ἥξομεν πάλιν

Hyllus had entered the house immediately after his mother (820). His occupation reminded her that Heracles would soon arrive, and decided her to act at once.

κρύψασ’ ἑαυτὴν , in the women's apartments ( cp. 686

ἐν μυχοῖς

ἔνθα μή τις εἰσίδοι would usu. mean, ‘in any place where no one beheld,’— oblique of

ἔνθ’ ἂν μή τις εἰσίδῃ

. But here the sense is final; ‘where no one should behold.’ The normal Attic for this would be,

ἔνθα μή τις ὄψεται

( cp. 800 ),—not

ὄψοιτο

, since, in a final relat. clause, the fut. indic. was usu. kept even after a secondary tense.

In Homeric Greek, a final relat. clause can take the subjunct. (usu. with

κε

) after a primary tense, and the optat. (without

κε

) after a secondary tense. But this is not an Attic construction. Thus the Homeric

ἄγγελον ἧκαν ὃς ἀγγείλειε

( Od.15. 458 ) would in Attic be

ἄγγελον ἔπεμψαν ὃς ἀγγελεῖ

: it could not be,

ὃς ἀγγείλειε

. The constr.

ἔνθα μή τις εἰσίδοι

—a very rare one in Attic—has grown out of the ‘deliberative’ constr.

οὐκ οἶδεν ἔνθα μή τις εἰσίδῃ

, by steps which have changed the interrogative clause into a final relative clause. A like instance is Ph.281

οὐχ ὅστις ἀρκέσειεν

, (seeing no one) to aid. See Appendix.

βρυχᾶτο : for the omission of the augment, cp. O. T.1249 n.

βωμοῖσι : besides the altar of Zeus

ἑρκεῖος

in the

αὐλή

, there would be other altars of domestic gods in a large house; cp. Eur. Alc.170

πάντας δὲ βωμούς, οἳ κατ’ Ἀδμήτου δόμους

, |

προσῆλθε κἀξέστεψε καὶ προσηύξατο

γένοιντ’ ἔρημοι : she said,

ἔρημοι ἐγένοντο

(or

ἐγένεσθε

). After her death, and that of Heracles, these altars were doomed to desolation. Nauck seems right in thus amending γένοιτ’ ἐρήμη , though not for the reasons which he assigns. Those words could certainly mean, ‘that she had become desolate,’— nor is the plaint less natural because death is so near. But the other reading is in truer harmony with the context, because she is saying farewell to the surroundings of happier days. Even inanimate objects move her tears at the thought of parting. Naturally the altars come first; when they were forsaken, the family life would have ceased.

ὀργάνων ὅτου ψαύσειεν : for the optat., cp. Ph.289

ὅ μοι βάλοι

(n.).

ὅτου

here =

εἴ τινος

. Among the

ὄργανα

would be sacrificial vessels, and, as the schol. remarks, the implements which she had used in weaving the robe.

ἄλλῃ … δωμάτων : for the gen., cp. 375 .

φίλων … οἰκετῶν . The opening scene with the

τροφός

illustrates these kindly relations. Cp. Eur. Alc.194 f., when Alcestis takes leave of her attached

οἰκέται

:—

κοὔτις ἦν οὕτω κακὸς

ὃν οὐ προσεῖπε καὶ προσερρήθη πάλιν.— εἰσορωμένη

: the midd., as Soph. El.1060

ἐσορώμενοι

ἀνακαλουμένη : cp. O. C.1376 n.

911 The MS. text, καὶ τὰς ἄπαιδας ἐς τὸ λοιπὸν οὐσίας , is undoubtedly corrupt. Various attempts to explain or to amend it are recorded in the Appendix.

The genuine verse must have had some direct reference to the context. She is weeping at the sight of attached servants whom she is about to leave. The general sense ought to be, ‘bewailing her own fate, and that of the household over which a change was impending’; since, when master and mistress were dead, the household would be dissolved, and the faithful slaves would pass into other hands. After the death of Heracles, Ceÿx, the king of Trachis (40 n.), was deterred by Eurystheus from continuing to protect the Heracleidae; who sought refuge at Athens. ( Apollod.2. 8. 1. )

I believe that

ΑΠΑΙΔΑΣ

arose from

ΕΠΑΛΛΟΙΣ

when the E had been accidentally lost or obscured. A similar interchange of initial

and

, combined with fusion of two words into one, occurs in O. C.550 , where

ἐφ’ ἁστάλη

was corrupted into

ἀπεστάλη

. I would read, καὶ τῆς ἐπ’ ἄλλοις ἐς τὸ λοιπὸν οὐσίας : ‘and the fate of the property which would thenceforth be in the power of others.’ For

ἐπί

with dat. as= penes, cp. O. C.66 , Ph.1003. The slaves are part of the

οὐσία

. Euripides has

οὐσία

, as=‘property,’ at least twice: H. F.337

πατρῷον ἐς μέλαθρον, οὗ τῆς οὐσίας

ἄλλοι κρατοῦσι

: Helen. 1253

ὡς ἂν παρούσης οὐσίας ἕκαστος ᾖ

. (See Appendix.) ἑστίας would be an easy correction of

οὐσίας

: but, on my view of the passage, the change is not required.

τὸν Ἡράκλ. : for the adj., cp. 51 , 576.

θάλαμον , the nuptial chamber: Ant.804 n.

λαθραῖον ὄμμ’ , acc. of respect: ἐπεσκιασμένη , ‘overshadowed,’ i.e., ‘shrouded from view.’ Thus the phrase means strictly, ‘shrouded as to (or in) my secret observation’: for

ὄμμα

here implies the act of observing.

λαθραῖον

expresses the result of

ἐπεσκιασμένη

. She may have watched from behind a curtain, or at a partly open door.—Not, ‘with eyes shaded by my hand’ ( O. C.1650

ὀμμάτων ἐπίσκιον

χεῖῤ

βάλλουσαν with dat., in the sense of

ἐμ‐

ἐπιβάλλουσαν

( Ph.67 n.).— στρωτὰ goes closely with the partic.,— spreading them as coverings,

στώματα.— φάρη

: the Homeric

φᾶρος

is not thus used; but cp. Od.4. 297 ff., where the bed (

δέμνια

) is spread with

ῥήγεα

(‘blankets’),

τάπητες

(‘rugs’), and woollen

χλαῖναι

as coverlets.

εὐνατηρίοις : the form

εὐναστηρίοις

appears to be a later one (Dind. on Aesch. Pers.160 ).—Cp. Verg. Aen.4. 650 (Dido, about to die)

Incubuitque toro dixitque novissima verba.

ῥήξασα : so Plut. Per.36

κλαυθμόν τε ῥῆξαι καὶ πλῆθος ἐγχέαι δακρύων

. Soph. O. T. 1075 n.

νυμφεῖα , bridalchamber ( Ant.891 ): for the plur., cp. 901 n.

εὐνάτριαν : this form is rightly preferred to

εὐνήτριαν

by Nauck, Eur. Stud. II. p. 175.

συντόνῳ , intense, vehement: Eur. Bacch.1091

συντόνοις δρομήμασι

ᾗ , at the place where. The MS. ᾧ doubtless arose from

πέπλον

: it would mean,

ὃς περονίδα εἷχε μαστῶν προκειμένην

: but this is less natural.

προὔκειτο μαστῶν : the

πέπλος

was fastened near the left shoulder by the

περονίς

, which is described as lying ‘in front of,’ i.e. ‘above,’ the (left) breast. It would not accord with Greek usage to imagine the brooch as placed at the centre of the bosom. Cp. Il.14. 180 (of Hera's

ἑανὸς

)

χρυσείῃς δ’ ἐνετῇσι κατὰ στῆθος περονᾶτο

. O. T.1269 n.

ἐκ δ’ ἐλώπισεν : for the tmesis, cp. Ant.1233

ἐκ δ’ ὁρμωμένου

: and ib. 427.

ἐκλωπίζω

(from

λώπη, λῶπος

, a covering) occurs only here.

ἐκλωπίσαι

has been conjectured in Pollux 7. 44

ἀποδῦσαι καὶ ἀπολωπίσαι, ὡς Σοφοκλῆς

δρομαία : Eur. Or.45

πηδᾷ δρομαῖος

. Thuc.3. 29

σχολαῖοι κομισθέντες

.—We may render, ‘warned her son of her intent’; but the literal sense is, ‘warned the son of her who was devising these things’: the gen. depends on

τῷ παιδί

. Others take the gen. with φράζω (‘tell him about her’). It would then be best to govern

τάδε

φράζω

: for in this constr. of the gen. with verbs of saying or asking, the object is usually expressed, either by an acc. ( Soph. El.317 , Soph. Ai.1236 ), or by a relat. clause (below Soph. Ai., 1122 , Soph. Ph.439 ). τάδε , however, belongs rather to τεχνωμένης .

τὸ κεῖσε δεῦρό τ’ : cp. Soph. Ph.315

ἐκεῖσε καὶ τὸ δεῦρο

. For the art. with the first word only, Soph. O. C.606

τἀμὰ κἀκείνων

(n.).

ἐξορμώμεθα might refer to the Nurse only, but rather includes Hyllus (as

ὁρῶμεν

certainly does). It suits

δεῦρο

, therefore, but not

κεῖσε

. The thought is, ‘before I could return with him.’

ὁρῶμεν αὐτὴν … πεπληγμένην , instead of

πέπληκται, ὡς ὁρῶμεν.— ἀμφιπλῆγι φασγάνῳ

: adjecti<*> which are properly only masc. or fem. are sometimes used in oblique cases with neuter nouns: cp. Ph.19

ἀμφιτρῆτος αὐλίου

: Ai.324

βοτοῖς

σιδηροκμῆσιν

ὑφ’ ἧπαρ καὶ φρένας , lit., ‘to the liver and midriff.’ But it was her left side that she bared (926), and the fatal blow must have been nearer to the heart than to the liver. The phrase should therefore be understood in a general sense, as a poetical way of saying, ‘home to the very centre of life.’ It may have been suggested by Od.9. 301

οὐτάμεναι πρὸς στῆθος, ὅθι φρένες ἧπαρ ἔχουσιν

, ‘stab him in the breast, where the midriff holds the liver.’ Cp. Ant.1315

παίσασ’ ὑφ’ ἧπαρ αὐτόχειρ αὑτήν

τοὔργον … ὡς ἐφάψειεν , that he had ‘fastened,’ ‘bound’ the deed ‘upon her,’ as a burden or doom. Cp. Pind. O.9. 64

μὴ καθέλοι νιν α<*>ν πότμον ἐφάψαις

ὀρφανὸν γενεᾶς

, ‘having laid on him the doom of childlessness.’ Il.2. 15

Τρώεσσι δὲ κήδἐ ἐφῆπται

, ‘have been imposed’ on them.

Others explain: (1) ‘that he had kindled the deed.’ But

ἐφάπτειν

never has the sense of

ὑφάπτειν

. In Eur. Bacch.778 our only MS. for that part of the play has, indeed,

ἤδη τόδ’ ἐγγὺς ὥστε πῦρ ἐφάπτεται

ὕβρισμα

: but the true

ὑφάπτεται

is attested by the Christus Patiens 2227. (2) ‘That she had made fast the deed,’— i.e. done the irrevocable deed. But κατ’ ὀργὴν must refer to the anger of Hyllus (734 ff.).

τῶν κατ’ οἶκον : for the simple gen. with ἐκδ. , cp. O. T.117

ὅτου...ἐκμα‐

θών.— πρὸς τοῦ θηρὸς

, at his instigation. This pregnant sense of the prep. is somewhat rare: but cp. Il.1. 238

θέμιστας

πρὸς Διὸς εἰρύαται

(by his ordinance): 6. 456

πρὸς ἄλλης ἱστὸν ὑφαίνοις

(at her bidding).

δύστηνος =

δύστηνος ὤν

, ‘miserable as he was.’ This is better than to make it an interjection, ‘poor youth!’— ἐλείπετ’ οὐδέν (adv.), ‘in no wise fell short.’ The verb has here a twofold constr., viz., (1) with gen. ὀδυρμάτων , as El.474

γνώμας λειπομένα σοφᾶς

: (2) with partic. ἀμφιπίπτων : cp. Xen. Oecon.18 § 5

ταῦτα μὲν τοίνυν, ἔφη, οὐδὲν ἐμοῦ λείπει γιγνώσκων

(‘you understand these things just as well as I do’),—where

ἐμοῦ

is parallel, not with

ὀδυρμάτων

here, but with

τῶν ὦν τέκνων

in 266.

ἀμφί νιν : the acc. with

ἀμφί

, as=‘concerning,’ is somewhat rare: but cp. Pind. P.2. 15

κελαδέοντι μὲν ἀμφὶ Κινύραν

. (In Il.18. 339

ἀμφὶ δέ σε...κλαύσονται

, the sense is ‘around.’)

ἀμφιπίπτων στόμασιν : Eur. Alc.404

ποτὶ σοῖσι πίτνων στόμασιν

χείλεσι

πλευρόθεν , ‘at’ (or ‘near’) ‘her side.’ The ending

θεν

properly denotes the point from which motion sets out. Hence a form in

θεν

is equivalent to a genitive expressing source or starting-point. By a stretch of that analogy,

πλευρόθεν

does duty here for the genitive of place, which is only a special kind of possessive genitive,—‘belonging to,’ and so, ‘in the region of’: El.900

ἐσχάτης δ’ ὁρῶ

πυρᾶς...βόστρυχον

: Il.9. 219

ἷζεν

... |

τοίχου τοῦ ἑτέροιο

. A somewhat similar example is Il.15. 716

πρύμνηθεν ἐπεὶ λάβεν, οὐχὶ μεθίει

, where the form in

θεν

=the gen. after a verb of seizing (‘took hold by the stern’).—Cp. Eur. Alc.366

πλευρά τ’ ἐκτεῖναι πέλας

πλευροῖσι τοῖς σοῖς

.—For παρείς , cp. Soph. El.819.

αἰτίᾳ βάλοι , as with a missile: Ai.1244

ἡμᾶς...κακοῖς βαλεῖτε

: Soph. El.902

μή μέ τις φθόνῳ βάλῃ

: Ar. Th.895

τοὐμὸν σῶμα βάλλουσα ψόγῳ

ἐκ δυοῖν … ὠρφανισμένος βίον (acc. of respect), ‘orphaned as to his life,’ having his life made

ὀρφανός

, ‘on the part of both parents at once’: cp. the lament of Eumelus for his mother Alcestis ( Eur. Alc.397 ),

προλιποῦσα δ’ ἀμὸν βίον

ὠρφάνισεν τλάμων. βίον

(Wakefield) is a necessary correction of βίου , with which the sense would be either ( a) ‘deprived of life,’ as in Anth. 7. 483

ζωᾶς νήπιον ὠρφάνισας

: or ( b) ‘deprived of subsistence.’ Nauck, keeping βίου , changes ἐκ to εἷς , understanding, ‘bereaved of the life of both parents.’ But

εἷς

is clearly unsuitable here; and the phrase

ὠρφ. δυοῖν βίου

would be strange as well as weak.

δύο , i.e. to-day and to-morrow.

ἢ καί τι πλείους (Dindorf) is the best correction of ἢ καὶ πλείους τις (L), which may have arisen from τι being accidentally omitted or transposed. The v. l. ἢ καὶ πλέους τις was an attempt to reconcile that reading with metre. In lyrics we find the gen.

πλέονος

( O. C.1211 ; Ph.1100 , if the reading of the schol. be accepted): but in the iambics of Tragedy there is no certain instance (apart from

πλέον

) of the shorter form. (In Aesch. Ag.1299 ,

οὐκ ἔστ’ ἄλυξις, ὧ ξένοι, χρόνῳ πλέω

, the text is doubtful.) A further objection to

πλέους

is the repeated

τις

The sense is:—‘Men often reckon on the morrow, or even, perchance ( τι ), on more days to come; but this is rash. A man can never be sure that his good fortune ( i.e. immunity from disaster) will last even to the end of to-day.’ Cp. O. C.567

ἔξοιδ’ ἀνὴρ ὤν, χὤτι τῆς ἐς αὔριον

οὐδὲν πλέον μοι σοῦ μέτεστιν ἡμέρας

. For

ἡ αὔριον

(without

ἡμέρα

), cp. Alexis

Ὕπνος

fr. 3

εἰς τὴν αὔριον.— λογίζεται

, ‘computes,’ i.e., ‘sets down in his calculations,’ as something upon which he can count.

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)) — 863 focus

πότερον ἐγὼ μάταιος, ἢ κλύω τινὸς

οἴκτου δι οἴκων ἀρτίως ἐρμασμένου;

τί φημί;
865

ΗΜ.Β.

ἠχεῖ τις οὐκ ἄσημον, ἀλλὰ δυστυχῆ

κωκυτὸν εἴσω, καί τι καινίζει στέγη.

ξύνες δὲ τήνδ᾽

ὡς ὡς ἀήθης καὶ συνωφρυωμένη

χωρεῖ πρὸς ἡμᾶς γραῖα σημαίνουσά τι.
870

ΤΡΟΦΟΣ.

ὦ παῖδες, ὡς ἄρ᾽ ἡμὶν ἡμῖν ῾ημὶν οὐ σμικρῶν κακῶν

ἦρξεν τὸ δῶρον ῾Ἡρακλεῖ τὸ πόμπιμον.

ΧΟ.

τί δ᾽, ὦ γεραιά, καινοποιηθὲν λέγεις;

ΤΡ.

βέβηκε Δῃάνειρα τὴν πανυστάτην

ὁδῶν ἁπασῶν ἐξ ἀκινήτου ποδός.
875

ΧΟ.

οὐ δή ποθ᾽ ὡς θανοῦσα;

ΤΡ.

πάντ᾽ ἀκήκοας.

ΧΟ.

τέθνηκεν ἡ τάλαινα;

ΤΡ.

δεύτερον κλύεις.

ΧΟ.

τάλαιν ὀλεθρία, τίνι τρόπῳ θανεῖν σφε φής;

ΤΡ.

σχετλιώτατα πρός γε πρᾶξιν.

XO.

εἰπὲ τῷ μόρῳ,

γύναι, ξυντρέχει.
880

ΤΡ.

αὐτὴν διηΐστωσε διηίστωσεν διηίστωσε.

XO.

τίς θυμός, -ἡ τίνες νόσοι-

τάνδ᾽ αἰχμὰν βέλεος κακοῦ

ξυνεῖλε ξυνεῖλε? πῶς ἐμήσατο

πρὸς θανάτῳ θάνατον
885

ἀνύσασα μόνα ;

ΤΡ.

στονόεντος ἐν τομᾷ στομαῖ στομαι τομᾷ σιδάρου σιδήρου.

ΧΟ.

ἐπεῖδες, ὦ ματαία ματαία, τάνδ᾽ ὕβριν ;

ΤΡ.

ἐπεῖδον, ὡς δὴ πλησία παραστάτις.

ΧΟ.

τίς ἦν; πῶς; φέρ᾽ εἰπέ.
890

ΤΡ.

αὐτὴ αὐτῆ αὐτὴ πρὸς αὐτῆς χειροποιεῖται τάδε.

ΧΟ.

τί φωνεῖς;

TP.

σαφηνῆ.

ΧΟ.

ἔτεκεν ἔτεκεν μεγάλαν μεγάλᾶν

ὁ νέορτος ἂν ἕορτος ἀνέορτος ἅδε ἆδε ἅδε νύμφα

δόμοισι τοῖσδ᾽ Ερινύν ἐρινῦν ἐριννύν.
895

ΤΡ.

ἄγαν γε· μᾶλλον δ᾽ om. add, εἰ η δ' εἰ παροῦσα πλησία

ἔλευσσες ἔλευσες ἔλευσσες οἷ᾽ ἔδρασε ἔδρασε(ν) ἔδρασε, κάρτ᾽ ἂν ᾤκτισας.

ΧΟ.

καὶ ταῦτ᾽ ἔτλη τις χεὶρ γυναικεία κτίσαι κτίσαϊ .. κτίσαι?

ΤΡ.

δεινῶς γε· πεύσει δ᾽, ὥστε μαρτυρεῖν ἐμοί.

ἐπεὶ παρῆλθε δωμάτων εἴσω μόνη,
900

καὶ παῖδ᾽ ἐν αὐλαῖς αυλαῖς εἶδε κοῖλα δέμνια

στορνύνθ᾽, ὅπως ἄψορρον ἀντῴη ἀντοίη πατρί,

κρύψασ᾽ ἑαυτὴν ἔνθα μή τις εἰσίδοι,

βρυχᾶτο μὲν βωμοῖσι προσπίπτουσ᾽ ὅτι

γένοιτ' ἐρήμη, κλαῖε δ᾽ ὀργάνων ὅτου
905

ψαύσειεν οἷς ἐχρῆτο δειλαία δειλαία πάρος·

ἄλλῃ δὲ κἄλλῃ δωμάτων στρωφωμένη,

εἴ του φίλων βλέψειεν οἰκετῶν δέμας,

ἔκλαιεν ἡ δύστηνος εἰσορωμένη,

αὐτὴ τὸν αὐτῆς δαίμον' ἀνακαλουμένη
910

καὶ τὰς ἄπαιδας ἐς τὸ λοιπὸν οὐσίας.

ἐπεὶ δὲ τῶνδ᾽ ἔληξεν, ἐξαίφνης σφ᾽ ὁρῶ

τὸν ῾Ηράκλειον θάλαμον εἰσορμωμένην ν.

κἀγὼ λαθραῖον ὄμμ᾽ ἐπεσκιασμένη

φρούρουν· ὁρῶ δὲ τὴν γυναῖκα δεμνίοις
915

τοῖς ῾Ηρακλείοις στρωτὰ βάλλουσαν φάρη.

ὅπως δ᾽ ἐτέλεσε τοῦτ᾽, ἐπενθοροῦσ᾽ ἄνω

καθέζετ᾽ ἐν μέσοισιν εὐναστηρίοις,

καὶ δακρύων ῥήξασα θερμὰ νάματα

ἔλεξεν, ὦ λέχη τε καὶ νυμφεῖ νυμφεῖ’ ἐμά,
920

τὸ λοιπὸν ἤδη χαίρεθ᾽, ὡς ἔμ᾽ οὔποτε

δέξεσθ᾽ ἔτ᾽ δέξεσθ’ ετ’ ἐν κοίταισι ταῖσδ᾽ εὐνήτριαν.

τοσαῦτα φωνήσασα, συντόνῳ χερὶ

λύει τὸν αὑτῆς αὐτῆσ αὑτῆς πέπλον, ᾧ χρυσήλατος

προὔκειτο μαστῶν περονίς, ἐκ δ᾽ ἐλώπισεν
925

πλευρὰν ἅπασαν ὠλένην τ᾽ εὐώνυμον.

κἀγὼ δρομαία βᾶσ᾽, ὅσονπερ ἔσθενον,

τῷ παιδὶ φράζω τῆς τεχνωμένης τάδε.

κἀν ᾧ τὸ κεῖσε δεῦρό τ᾽ ἐξορμώμεθα,

ὁρῶμεν αὐτὴν ἀμφιπλῆγι φασγάνῳ
930

πλευρὰν ὑφ᾽ ἡπαρ καὶ φρένας πεπληγμένην.

ἰδὼν δ᾽ ὁ παῖς om. add ᾤμωξεν· ἔγνω ἔγνω γὰρ τάλας

τοὔργον κατ᾿ ὀργὴν ὡς ἐφάψειεν τόδε,

ὄψ᾽ ἐκδιδαχθείς εκδιδαχθεὶς τῶν κατ᾿ οἶκον οὕνεκα ὁθ' οὔνεκ'

ἄκουσα πρὸς τοῦ θηρὸς ἔρξειεν ἔρξεν τάδε.
935

κἀνταῦθ᾽ ὁ παῖς δύστηνος οὔτ᾽ ὀδυρμάτων

ἐλείπετ᾽ οὐδέν, ἀμφί νιν γοώμενος,

οὔτ᾽ ἀμφιπίπτων στόμασιν, ἀλλὰ πλευρόθεν

πλευρὰν παρεὶς ἔκειτο πόλλ᾽ ἀναστένων,

ὥς νιν ματαίως αἰτίᾳ βάλοι κακῇ,
940

κλαίων ὁθούνεκ᾽ ὁθούνεκ' ἐκ δυοῖν ἔσοιθ᾽ ἅμα,

πατρός τ᾽ ἐκείνης τ᾽, ὠρφανισμένος ω from ο ὠρφανισμένος βίου.

τοιαῦτα τἀνθάδ᾽ ἐστίν. ὥστ᾽ εἴ τις δύο

ἢ καὶ πλέους τις ἢ καὶ πλείους τις πλεους ἡμέρας λογίζεται,

μάταιός ἐστιν· οὐ γὰρ ἔσθ᾽ ἤ γ' αὔριον,
945

πρὶν εὖ εὖ πάθῃ τις τὴν παροῦσαν ἡμέραν.

ΧΟ.

Greek (F. Storr, 1912) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (F. Storr, 1912)) — 863-946 focus

Ἡμιχόριον 1

πότερον ἐγὼ μάταιος, ἢ κλύω τινὸς

οἴκτου διʼ οἴκων ἀρτίως ὁρμωμένου; τί φημι;

Ἡμιχόριον 2

ἠχεῖ τις οὐκ ἄσημον, ἀλλὰ δυστυχῆ
865

κωκυτὸν εἴσω, καί τι καινίζει στέγη.

Ἡμιχόριον

ξύνες δὲ

τήνδʼ ὡς κατηφὴς καὶ συνωφρυωμένη

χωρεῖ πρὸς ἡμᾶς γραῖα σημανοῦσά τι.
870

Τροφός

ὦ παῖδες, ὡς ἄρʼ ἡμὶν οὐ σμικρῶν κακῶν

ἦρξεν τὸ δῶρον Ἡρακλεῖ τὸ πόμπιμον.

Χορός

τί δʼ, ὦ γεραιά, καινοποιηθὲν λέγεις;

Τροφός

βέβηκε Δῃάνειρα τὴν πανυστάτην

ὁδῶν ἁπασῶν ἐξ ἀκινήτου ποδός.
875

Χορός

οὐ δή ποθʼ ὡς θανοῦσα;

Τροφός

πάντʼ ἀκήκοας.

Χορός

τέθνηκεν ἡ τάλαινα;

Τροφός

δεύτερον κλύεις.

Χορός

τάλαινʼ ὀλεθρία· τίνι τρόπῳ θανεῖν σφε φής;

Τροφός

σχετλιώτατά γε πρὸς πρᾶξιν.

Χορός

εἰπὲ τῷ μόρῳ,
880

γύναι, ξυντρέχει.

Τροφός

αὑτὴν διηΐστωσε.

Χορός

τίς θυμὸς ἢ τίνες νόσοι

τάνδʼ αἰχμᾷ βέλεος κακοῦ ξυνεῖλε; πως ἐμήσατο

πρὸς θανάτῳ θάνατον ἀνύσασα μόνα;
885

Τροφός

στονόεντος ἐν τομᾷ σιδάρου.

Χορός

ἐπεῖδες, ὦ ματαία, τάνδε τὴν ὕβριν;

Τροφός

ἐπεῖδον, ὡς δὴ πλησία παραστάτις.

Χορός

τίς ἦν; πῶς; φέρʼ εἰπέ.
890

Τροφός

αὐτὴ πρὸς αὑτῆς χειροποιεῖται τάδε.

Χορός

τί φωνεῖς;

Τροφός

σαφηνῆ.

Χορός

ἔτεκεν ἔτεκε δὴ μεγάλαν

ἁ νέορτος ἅδε νύμφα

δόμοισι τοῖσδʼ ἐρινύν.
895

896

Τροφός

ἄγαν γε· μᾶλλον δʼ, εἰ παροῦσα πλησία

ἔλευσσες οἷʼ ἔδρασε, κάρτʼ ἂν ᾤκτισας.

Χορός

καὶ ταῦτʼ ἔτλη τις χεὶρ γυναικεία κτίσαι;

Τροφός

δεινῶς γε· πεύσει δʼ, ὥστε μαρτυρεῖν ἐμοί.

ἐπεὶ γὰρ ἦλθε δωμάτων εἴσω μόνη
900

καὶ παῖδʼ ἐν αὐλαῖς εἶδε κοῖλα δέμνια

στορνύνθʼ, ὅπως ἄψορρον ἀντῴη πατρί,

κρύψασʼ ἑαυτὴν ἔνθα μή τις εἰσίδοι,

βρυχᾶτο μὲν βωμοῖσι προσπίπτουσʼ ὅτι

γένοιντʼ ἔρημοι, ʼκλαιε δʼ ὀργάνων ὅτου
905

ψαύσειεν οἷς ἐχρῆτο δειλαία πάρος·

ἄλλῃ δὲ κἄλλῃ δωμάτων στρωφωμένη,

εἴ του φίλων βλέψειεν οἰκετῶν δέμας,

ἔκλαιεν ἡ δύστηνος εἰσορωμένη,

αὐτὴ τὸν αὑτῆς δαίμονʼ ἀνακαλουμένη
910

καὶ τὰς ἄπαιδας ἐς τὸ λοιπὸν οὐσίας.

ἐπεὶ δὲ τῶνδʼ ἔληξεν, ἐξαίφνης σφʼ ὁρῶ

τὸν Ἡράκλειον θάλαμον εἰσορμωμένην.

κἀγὼ λαθραῖον ὄμμʼ ἐπεσκιασμένη

φρούρουν· ὁρῶ δὲ τὴν γυναῖκα δεμνίοις
915

τοῖς Ἡρακλείοις στρωτὰ βάλλουσαν φάρη.

ὅπως δʼ ἐτέλεσε τοῦτʼ, ἐπενθοροῦσʼ ἄνω

καθέζετʼ ἐν μέσοισιν εὐνατηρίοις,

καὶ δακρύων ῥήξασα θερμὰ νάματα

ἔλεξεν· ὦ λέχη τε καὶ νυμφεῖʼ ἐμά,
920

τὸ λοιπὸν ἤδη χαίρεθʼ, ὡς ἔμʼ οὔποτε

δέξεσθʼ ἔτʼ ἐν κοίταισι ταῖσδʼ εὐνάτριαν.

τοσαῦτα φωνήσασα συντόνῳ χερὶ

λύει τὸν αὑτῆς πέπλον, ᾗ χρυσήλατος

προύκειτο μαστῶν περονίς, ἐκ δʼ ἐλώπισεν
925

πλευρὰν ἅπασαν ὠλένην τʼ εὐώνυμον.

κἀγὼ δρομαία βᾶσʼ, ὅσονπερ ἔσθενον,

τῷ παιδὶ φράζω τῆς τεχνωμένης τάδε.

κἀν ᾧ τὸ κεῖσε δεῦρό τʼ ἐξορμώμεθα,

ὁρῶμεν αὐτὴν ἀμφιπλῆγι φασγάνῳ
930

πλευρὰν ὑφʼ ἧπαρ καὶ φρένας πεπληγμένην.

ἰδὼν δʼ ὁ παῖς ᾤμωξεν· ἔγνω γὰρ τάλας

τοὔργον κατʼ ὀργὴν ὡς ἐφάψειεν τόδε,

ὄψʼ ἐκδιδαχθεὶς τῶν κατʼ οἶκον οὕνεκα

ἄκουσα πρὸς τοῦ θηρὸς ἔρξειεν τάδε.
935

κἀνταῦθʼ ὁ παῖς δύστηνος οὔτʼ ὀδυρμάτων

ἐλείπετʼ οὐδέν, ἀμφί νιν γοώμενος,

οὔτʼ ἀμφιπίπτων στόμασιν, ἀλλὰ πλευρόθεν

πλευρὰν παρεὶς ἔκειτο πόλλʼ ἀναστένων,

ὥς νιν ματαίως αἰτίᾳ βάλοι κακῇ,
940

κλαίων ὁθούνεκʼ ἐκ δυοῖν ἔσοιθʼ ἅμα,

πατρός τʼ ἐκείνης τʼ, ὠρφανισμένος βίον.

τοιαῦτα τἀνθάδʼ ἐστίν· ὥστʼ εἴ τις δύο

ἢ καί τι πλείους ἡμέρας λογίζεται,

μάταιός ἐστιν· οὐ γὰρ ἔσθʼ ἥ γʼ αὔριον,
945

πρὶν εὖ πάθῃ τις τὴν παροῦσαν ἡμέραν.

Translations (5)

English (Lewis Campbell, 1906) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Lewis Campbell, 1906)) — 863 focus

Thy silence argues thine accuser’s plea?

HYL

See where falls the doom, of old

By the unerring Voice foretold,—

‘When twelve troublous years have rolled,

Then shall end your long desire:

Toil on toil no more shall tire

The offspring of the Eternal Sire.’

Lo! the destined Hour is come!

Lo! it hath brought its burden home.

For when the eyes have looked their last

How should sore labour vex again?

How, when the powers of will and thought are past,

Should life be any more enthralled to pain?

And if Nessus’ withering shroud,

Wrought by destiny and craft,

Steep him in a poisonous cloud.

Steaming from the venomed shaft,

Which to Death in hideous lair

The many-wreathed Hydra bare,

How shall he another day

Feel the glad warmth of Helios’ ray?—

Enfolded by the Monster-Thing

Of Lerna, while the cruel sting

Of the shagg’d Centaur’s murderous-guileful tongue

Breaks forth withal to do him painful wrong.

And she, poor innocent, who saw

Checkless advancing to the gate

A mighty harm unto her state,—

This rash young bridal without fear of law,—

Gave not her will to aught that caused this woe,

But since it came through that strange mind’s conceiving,—

That ruined her in meeting,—deeply grieving,

She mourns with dewy tears in tenderest flow.

The approaching hour appeareth great with woe:

Some guile-born misery doth Fate foreshow.

The springs of sorrow are unbound,

And such an agony disclose,

As never from the hands of foes

To afflict the life of Heracles was found.

O dark with battle-stains, world-champion spear,

That from Oechalia’s highland leddest then

This bride that followed swiftly in thy train,

How fatally overshadowing was thy fear!

But these wild sorrows all too clearly come
870

From Love’s dread minister, disguised and dumb.
870

Am I a fool, or do I truly hear
870

Lament new-rising from our master’s home?
870

Tell!
870

Clearly from within a wailing voice
870

Peals piteously. The house hath some fresh woe.
870

Mark!
870

How strangely, with what cloud upon her brow,
870

Yon aged matron with her tidings moves!
870

NURSE
Enter Nurse .

Ah! mighty, O my daughters! was the grief

Sprung from the gift to Heracles conveyed!

LEADER OF CH

What new thing is befallen? Why speak’st thou so?

NUR

Our Queen hath found her latest journey’s end.

Even now she is gone, without the help of feet.
875

CH

Not dead?

NUR

You know the whole.

CH

Dead! hapless Queen!

NUR

The truth hath twice been told.

CH

O tell us how!

What was her death, poor victim of dire woe?

NUR

Most ruthless was the deed.

CH

Say, woman, say!

What was the sudden end?

NUR

Herself she slew.

CH

What rage, what madness, clutched

The mischief-working brand?

How could her single thought

Contrive the accomplishment of death on death?

NUR

Chill iron stopped the sources of her breath.

CH

And thou, poor helpless crone, didst see this done?

NUR

Yea, I stood near and saw.

CH

How was it? Tell!
890

NUR

With her own hand this violence was given.

CH

What do I hear?

NUR

The certainty of truth.

CH

A child is come,

From this new bridal that hath rushed within,

A fresh-born Fury of woe!
895

NUR

Too true. But hadst thou been at hand to see

Her action, pity would have wrung thy soul.

CH

Could this be ventured by a woman’s hand?

NUR

Ay, and in dreadful wise, as thou shalt hear.

When all alone she had gone within the gate,

And passing through the court beheld her boy

Spreading the couch that should receive his sire,

Ere he returned to meet him,—out of sight

She hid herself, and fell at the altar’s foot,

And loudly cried that she was left forlorn;

And, taking in her touch each household thing

That formerly she used, poor lady, wept

O’er all; and then went ranging through the rooms,
900

Where, if there caught her eye the well-loved form
900

Of any of her household, she would gaze
900

And weep aloud, accusing her own fate
900

And her abandoned lot, childless henceforth!
900

When this was ended, suddenly I see her
900

Fly to the hero’s room of genial rest.
900

With unsuspected gaze o’ershadowed near,
900

I watched, and saw her casting on the bed
900

The finest sheets of all. When that was done,

She leapt upon the couch where they had lain

And sat there in the midst. And the hot flood

Burst from her eyes before she spake:—‘Farewell,

My bridal bed, for never more shalt thou

Give me the comfort I have known thee give.’

Then with tight fingers she undid her robe,

Where the brooch lay before the breast, and bared

All her left arm and side. I, with what speed

Strength ministered, ran forth to tell her son

The act she was preparing. But meanwhile,

Ere we could come again, the fatal blow

Fell, and we saw the wound. And he, her boy,

Seeing, wept aloud. For now the hapless youth

Knew that himself had done this in his wrath,

Told all too late i’ the house, how she had wrought

Most innocently, from the Centaur’s wit.

So now the unhappy one, with passionate words

And cries and wild embracings of the dead,

Groaned forth that he had slain her with false breath

Of evil accusation, and was left

Orphaned of both, his mother and his sire.

Such is the state within. What fool is he

That counts one day, or two, or more to come?

To-morrow is not, till the present day

In fair prosperity have passed away.

CHORUS
CHORUS . MONODY .

German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review) (OCR draft) Experimental (German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review)) — 863 focus

Hat mich ein Wahn betrogen, oder hör' ich nicht

Ein Jammern, das sich eben jezt im Haus erhebt?

Was sag' ich?
850

Der zweite Halbchor.

Wohl hallt es nicht undeutlich, herzzerreißend tönt

Wehklage drinnen; neue Noth gebiert das Haus.

siehe,

Der erste Halbchor.

Wie dort die Greisin kummervoll mit düstern Brau'n

Auf uns herankommt, irgendwas uns kundzuthun!
855

Die Amme.

Die Gabe, Kinder, zugesandt dem Herakles,

Welch großes Unheil hat sie nun auf uns gebracht!

Der Chor.

Welch neuen Unfall, greise Frau, verkündest du?

Die Amme.

Den lezten aller Pfade ging die Königin,

Herakles' Gattin, mit bewegungslosem Fuß.
860

Der Chor.

Doch nicht den Pfad des Todes?

Die Amme.

Alles hörtest du.

Der Chor.

Todt ist die Arme?

Die Amme.

Hör'

es denn zum andernmal!

Der Chor.

Elend verlorene! Wie sie starb, o sage mir's.

Die Amme.

Durch grause, kühn verwegne That.

Der Chor.

In welchen Tod,

Frau, stürzte sie?
865

Die Amme.

Sie hat sich selbst getödtet.

Der Chor.

War es Raserei,

Wahnsinn

Die Amme.

Entrafft hat sie die Wuth

Der bösen Waffe

Der Chor.

Wie erdachte sie

Noch zu dem Tode den Tod,

Und vollbracht' es allein?
870

Die Amme.

Mit des grauenvollen Stahles Schärfe.

Der Chor.

Und sahst du diesen Frevel an, Unselige?

Die Amme.

Ich sah es, freilich, weil ich ihr ganz nahe stand.

Der Chor.

Wer that's? Wie? Erzähle!

Die Amme.

Sie selbst mit eignen Händen hat die That gethan.
875

Der Chor.

Was sagst du?

Die Amme.

Die Wahrheit.

Der Chor.

Wohl gebar, wohl gebar

Diese jüngsterkorne Braut

Einen schweren Fluch dem Hause.

Die Amme.

Gewiß; und größer, wenn du gegenwärtig dort
880

Die That gesehen, wäre dein Bedauern noch.

Der Chor.

Und das zu thun, hat eine Frauenhand vermocht?

Die Amme.

Entsezlich! Höre, daß du selbst es mir bezeugst.

Sobald die Herrin, einsam heimgekehrt in's Haus,

Den Sohn im Hofe breiten sah ein Lagerbett,
885

Bevor er seinem Vater wollt' entgegengeh'n:

Da floh sie, sich zu bergen, wo Niemand sie sah,

Und warf sich nieder am Altar, und schluchzte laut,

Sie sei verwaist nun, weinte, welch Geräthe sie

Berühren mochte, dessen sie sich sonst bedient;
890

Dann durch die Wohnung überall umhergestürmt,

Vergoß die Arme Thränen, wann ein liebes Bild

Von Hausgenossen ihrem Blick entgegentrat,

Und klagt ihr eignes Schicksal an und jammert, daß

Ihr Haus in Zukunft erbenlos verblühen soll.
895

Drauf als verstummt ihr Iammer, seh' ich sie sofort

Hinein sich stürzen in's Gemach des Herakles.

Und ich, in Dunkel eingehüllt, stand unbemerkt

Und lauschte, sah dann, wie die Herrin Teppiche

Dort auf Herakles' Lagerstatt ausbreitend warf.
900

Und als sie das vollendet, sprang sie selbst hinauf,

Und ließ sich nieder mitten auf dem Ruhebett,

Und ruft, in heiße Thränenström' ergossen, aus:

mein geliebtes Lager, o mein Brautgemach,

Nun lebet wohl auf ewig, denn nie nehmt ihr mich
905

Hinfort in diesen Räumen auf in seinem Arm!

So rief die Herrin, löste dann mit rascher Hand

Ihr Leibgewand, wo goldgetriebne Spangen es

Zuschlossen vorn am Busen, und entkleidete

Die ganze linke Seite samt des Armes Bug.
910

Und ich, so schnell ich konnte, rannt' in jähem Lauf,

Und that dem Sohne dieses ihr Beginnen kund.

Indeß wir dorthin und zurück in Eile geh'n,

Da seh'n wir, wie der doppelschneidig scharfe Stahl

Schon bis in Herz und Leber ihr die Brust durchbohrt.
915

Der Sohn gewahrt's und jammert; er erkannte wohl,

Daß er im Zorn hervorgerufen solche That,

Zu spät belehrt von seinen Dienern, daß sie nur

Nach Nessos' Rathe willenlos das Werk verübt.

Und nun verstummte nimmermehr der Klageruf
920

Des armen Sohnes, der um sie laut jammerte,

Den Mund an ihre Lippen schloß, und festgeschmiegt

Die Seit' an ihre Seite, viel aufseufzend rief,

Er habe fälschlich böse Schuld auf sie gewälzt,

Und weinte, daß sein Leben nun zwiefach verwaist
925

Hinschwinden werde, vaterlos und mutterlos.

So steht es dort im Hause. Drum wenn Einer sich

Im Geiste zwei, ja mehre Tage noch verheißt,

Den nenn' ich albern; dem gehört das Morgen nicht,

Der nicht das Heute glücklich schon zurückgelegt.
930
(ab in das Haus.) (allein.) Erste Strophe.

Der Chor.

English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759)) — 863 focus

not

To go in silence thus confirms thy guilt?

Hyllus

Chorus.

Nurse

What woes, my hapless daughter;

Alcides' fatal gift hath brought upon us !
875

Chorus

What dost thou tell us ?

Nurse

Deianira treads

The last sad path of mortals.

Chorus

Is she gone ?

NuiisE. 'TIs so indeed.

Cnoii. What! dead?

NuiisE. Again I say

She is no more.

Cjigu. Alas ! how did she perish ?

NuKSE. Most fearfully : 'twas dreadful to behold.

Chorus

How fell she then ?

Nurse

By her own hand.

Chorus

But wherefore ?

What madness, what disorder, what could move her

To perpetrate so terrible a deed ?

Thus adding death to death.

Nurse

The fatal steel

Destroyed her.

Chorus

Didst thou see it ?

Nurse

I was by,

Close by her side.

Chorus

How was it ?

Nurse

Her own arm

Struck the sad blow.

Chorus

Indeed !
890

Nurse

Most veritably.

Chorus

In evil hour this rival virgin came

To bring destruction here.

Nurse

And so she did ;

Hadst thou Hke me been witness to the deed,

Thou wouldst much more have pitied her.

Chorus

Alas !

How could a woman do it ?

Nurse

'Twas most dreadful,

As thou shalt hear, for I will tell thee all :

Soon as she entered at the palace gate

And saw her son prepare the funeral bed.

To th' inmovst chamber silent she retired

From every eye, there, at the altar's feet

Falling, lamented loud her widowed state ;

And ever as she lit on aught her hands

Had used in happier days, the tears would flow ;

From room to room she wandered, and if chance

A loved domestic crossed her she would weep

And mourn her fate, for ever now deprived

Of converse sweet, and hymeneal joys ;

Then would she strew her garments on the bed

Of her Alcides (for, concealed, I watched

Her every motion), throw herself upon it,

And as the tears in a warm flood burst forth,
900

" Farewell ! " she cried, " for ever farewell now,
900

My nuptial couch ! for never shalt thou more
900

Keceive this wretched burthen." Thus she spake,
900

And with quick hand the golden button loosed,
900

Then cast her robe aside, her bosom bared
900

And seemed prepared to strike. I ran and told

The dreadful purpose to her son ; too late

We came, and saw her wounded to the heart.

The pious son beheld his bleeding mother,

And wept ; for well he knew, by anger fired,

And the fell centaur's cruel fraud betrayed,

Unweeting she had done the dreadful deed.

Close to her side he laid him down, and joined

His lips to hers, lamenting sore that thus

He had accused her guiltless ; then deplored

His own sad fate, thus suddenly bereaved

Of both his parents. You have heard my tale.

Who to himself shall promise length of life ?

None but the fool. For, oh ! to day alone

Is ours. We are not certain of to-morrow.

Chorus

Which shall I weep ? which most our hefli'ts

should fill

With grief, the present or the future ill?

The dying or the dead? 'Tis equal woe

To feel the stroke, or fear th' impending blow.

Oh ! for a breeze to waft us o'er

Propitious to some distant shore !

To sliield our souls from sore affright,

And save us from the dreadful sight :

That sight the hardest heart would move

In his last pangs the son of Jove ;

To see the poison run through every vein,

And limbs convulsed with agonising pain.

Behold th' attendant train is nigh,

I hear the voice of misery ;

E'en ;is the plaintive nightingale,

That warbles sweet her mournful tale ;

Silent and slow they lead him on ;

Hark ! 1 hear Alcides groan !

Again 'tis silence all ! This way they tread ;

Or sleeps he now, or rests he with the dead ?

Hercules
Strophe. Antiatrophe. Scene III.

English (Robert Potter, 1788) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Robert Potter, 1788)) — 863 focus

Silence, be thou assured, confirms the charge.

Hyllus

See, virgins, see, the doom of old

By the prophetic voice foretold

Advances with impetuous speed,

For thus the fates decreed,

"Twelve times the moon shall bend her silver bow,

"Then rest from toils the son of Jove shall know."

See, th' event with secret force

Onward holds its destin'd course;

For he, who sinks to Pluto's peaceful shore,

Is to toils a slave no more.

For if the Centaur o'er his head

Guileful the sanguine cloud has spread;

If from the venom-tinctured vest

He feels the rankling pest

Of death and of the spotted Hydra born,

How shall he see another orient morn?

Ours the hero to deplore

Wasted by the Hydra's gore,

As the rough Centaur's wiles their pangs impart,

Burning in his tortured heart.

Nurse

But as fear her love alarms,

When now the royal dame with dread

Beholds a rival to her nuptial bed,

Confiding in these fatal charms

She thoughtless is ensnared with hostile wiles,

Whilst hope to win her lord her heart beguiles.

Now the ruin she deplores,

Now the tear of anguish pours;

For fate advancing all the treachery shows,

Whence this mighty mischief flows.

Forth hath burst the fount of tears.

The pest is spread. From all my foes

Never on thee, Alcides, fell such woes

To rouse dejected pity's fears.

Alas the illustrious hero's fatal spear,

That flamed terrific in the front of war!

From Echalia's summit hoar

This the captive virgin bore:

The deed declares Idalia's sportive queen,

Acting silent and unseen.

Chorus
ANTIS. 1. STRO. 2. ANTIS. 2.

Am I deceived? Or hear I from the house

The voice of lamentation newly raised?

It is the cry of grief distinct and clear :

Something beneath this roof bursts forth anew.

Nurse

But mark this aged matron, what a gloom

Of more than usual sadness clouds her brow!

She comes, and will inform us what hath chanced.

Of no light ills, O virgins, hath the gift

Sent to Alcides been to us the cause.

Chorus
MAT. MATRON, CHORUS.

Say, aged matron, what new ill is this.

MAT. The last of ways is Deianira gone,

Not by the living trod.

The way of death?

Nurse

MAT. Thou hast heard all,

Alas th' unhappy queen,

Is she then dead?

The truth again thou hearest.

Chorus
MAT.

Ah her untimely fate! Say how she died.

Nurse

MAT. Most wretched, by an harsh and rueful act.

Chorus

Tell us the manner.

Nurse

She destroy'd herself.

Chorus
MAT. MAT.

By what disease, or what wild frenzy seized ?

Nurse

Pierced by the point of the relentless sword.

Chorus

But how could she devise, or how alone
890

Accomplish on herself the deathful deed ?
890

Nurse

MAT. By the deep piercing of the pitiless steel.

Chorus

Did thy sad eyes behold the desperate deed?

Nurse

MAT. I saw it all, for near her I was placed.

Chorus

How was it? how? inform us....

Her own hand

Nurse

The dreadful act against herself perform'd.

Chorus
MAT.

This Nymph, this fatal stranger hath giv'n birth,

Nurse

Birth to a Fury dreadful to this house.,

Dreadful indeed! But more, hadst thou been near,
900

Hadst thou, as I, been present to behold.

Her conduct, more thy pity had been moved.

Chorus
MAT.

English (Sir Richard Jebb, 1904) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Sir Richard Jebb, 1904)) — 863-945 focus

First Semi-Chorus

Is it fancy, or did I just now hear some cry of grief rushing through the house?

What is this?
865

Second Semi-Chorus

It is no uncertain sound, but a wail of anguish from inside. The house has some new trouble.

Chorus

And note how strangely, with what consternation on her brow

that old woman approaches to give us some news.
870

Enter the Nurse, from the house.

Nurse

Ah, my daughters, great, indeed, are the sorrows for us that began with the gift sent to Heracles!

Chorus

Old woman, what new trouble have you to tell?

Nurse

Deianeira has departed on the last

of all her journeys, departed without stirring a foot.
875

Chorus

Surely you do not mean she is dead?

Nurse

My tale is told.

Chorus

Dead, the poor woman?

Nurse

Again you hear me affirm it.

Chorus

Poor, lost one! Tell me, what was the manner of her death?

Nurse

Oh, it was most cruel in its execution!

Chorus

Speak,

woman, with what end did she meet?
880

Nurse

She destroyed herself.

Chorus

What impulse drove her? What disease of her mind seized her on the point of its evil shaft? How did she contrive

this death upon death, accomplishing it all on her own?
885

Nurse

By a stroke of the sword which gives cause for mourning.

Chorus

Did you witness that violent deed, poor helpless one?

Nurse

I did, yes, since I was standing close by.

Chorus

What was it? How was it done? Oh, speak!
890

Nurse

Of her own accord she set her hand to the deed.

Chorus

What are you saying?

Nurse

The certain truth.

Chorus

The firstborn, the firstborn of that newly arisen bride is

a great Erinys on this house!
895

896

Nurse

Too true. And had you been close at hand and seen her do it, you would have pitied her even more.

Chorus

And could a woman’s hand dare to carry out such deeds?

Nurse

Yes, with fierce daring. You shall hear, and then you will bear me witness.

When she came alone into the house and saw her son preparing a deep litter in the court, with which to go back and meet his father, she hid herself where none would see. Falling before the altars, she moaned that
900

they were left desolate, and whenever she touched any household thing that she, poor lady, had habitually used in the past, her tears would flow. If, as she roamed hither and thither through the house, she beheld the form of any well-loved servant, she wept in misery at the sight,
905

crying aloud upon her own fate, and her childless existence thereafter.
But when she finished this, I saw her suddenly rush into the bedchamber of Heracles. I hid in the shadows to keep my observation secret and was watching over her
910

when I saw her spread coverings on the bedstead of Heracles. When she had done this, she sprang up on them and sat in the middle of the bed. Then she broke out in warm streams of tears
915

and said: “Ah, my bridal bed and bridal chamber, farewell now and for ever, since you will never more receive me in these covers as his wife.” She says no more, but with a vehement hand she loosens her robe where the brooch of beaten gold
920

lies above her breasts and bares all her left side and arm. Then I run with all my strength, and warn her son of her intent. But even in the space between my going and our return,
925

we find that she has driven a two-edged sword up through her side to the heart. At that sight, her son gave a great cry. For he knew, poor boy, that in his anger he had driven her to that action. He had learned too late from the servants in the house
930

that she had acted without knowledge and at the will of the monster. Then and there the youth in his misery left no cry of grief unmade as he lamented over her, nor as he fell to kiss her lips; he threw himself at her side, loudly moaning
935

that he had rashly attacked her with a false accusation and weeping that he must now live orphaned of both alike, of his father and of her.
Such are the fortunes of this house. Rash, indeed, is he who reckons on tomorrow, or perchance on days beyond it.
940

There is no tomorrow, until today is safely past. Exit the Nurse.
945

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

863-946

863-870

Current edition Experimental

πότερον ἐγὼ μάταιος, ἢ κλύω τινὸς οἴκτου δι οἴκων ἀρτίως ἐρμασμένου; τί φημί; 865

ΤΡΟΦΟΣ. ὦ παῖδες, ὡς ἄρ᾽ ἡμὶν ἡμῖν ῾ημὶν οὐ σμικρῶν κακῶν ἦρξεν τὸ δῶρον ῾Ἡρακλεῖ τὸ πόμπιμον.

ΧΟ. τί δ᾽, ὦ γεραιά, καινοποιηθὲν λέγεις;

ΤΡ. βέβηκε Δῃάνειρα τὴν πανυστάτην ὁδῶν ἁπασῶν ἐξ ἀκινήτου ποδός. 875

ΧΟ. οὐ δή ποθ᾽ ὡς θανοῦσα;

ΤΡ. πάντ᾽ ἀκήκοας.

ΧΟ. τέθνηκεν ἡ τάλαινα;

ΤΡ. δεύτερον κλύεις.

ΧΟ. τάλαιν ὀλεθρία, τίνι τρόπῳ θανεῖν σφε φής;

ΤΡ. σχετλιώτατα πρός γε πρᾶξιν.

XO. εἰπὲ τῷ μόρῳ,

γύναι, ξυντρέχει. 880

ΤΡ. αὐτὴν διηΐστωσε διηίστωσεν διηίστωσε.

XO. τίς θυμός, -ἡ τίνες νόσοι- τάνδ᾽ αἰχμὰν βέλεος κακοῦ ξυνεῖλε ξυνεῖλε? πῶς ἐμήσατο πρὸς θανάτῳ θάνατον 885 ἀνύσασα μόνα ;

ΤΡ. στονόεντος ἐν τομᾷ στομαῖ στομαι τομᾷ σιδάρου σιδήρου.

ΧΟ. ἐπεῖδες, ὦ ματαία ματαία, τάνδ᾽ ὕβριν ;

ΤΡ. ἐπεῖδον, ὡς δὴ πλησία παραστάτις.

ΧΟ. τίς ἦν; πῶς; φέρ᾽ εἰπέ. 890

ΤΡ. αὐτὴ αὐτῆ αὐτὴ πρὸς αὐτῆς χειροποιεῖται τάδε.

ΧΟ. τί φωνεῖς;

TP. σαφηνῆ.

ΧΟ. ἔτεκεν ἔτεκεν μεγάλαν μεγάλᾶν ὁ νέορτος ἂν ἕορτος ἀνέορτος ἅδε ἆδε ἅδε νύμφα δόμοισι τοῖσδ᾽ Ερινύν ἐρινῦν ἐριννύν. 895

ΤΡ.

ἄγαν γε· μᾶλλον δ᾽ om. add, εἰ η δ' εἰ παροῦσα πλησία ἔλευσσες ἔλευσες ἔλευσσες οἷ᾽ ἔδρασε ἔδρασε(ν) ἔδρασε, κάρτ᾽ ἂν ᾤκτισας.

ΧΟ. καὶ ταῦτ᾽ ἔτλη τις χεὶρ γυναικεία κτίσαι κτίσαϊ .. κτίσαι?

ΧΟ.

Ἡμιχόριον 1 πότερον ἐγὼ μάταιος, ἢ κλύω τινὸς οἴκτου διʼ οἴκων ἀρτίως ὁρμωμένου; τί φημι;

Ἡμιχόριον 2 ἠχεῖ τις οὐκ ἄσημον, ἀλλὰ δυστυχῆ 865 κωκυτὸν εἴσω, καί τι καινίζει στέγη.

Ἡμιχόριον ξύνες δὲ τήνδʼ ὡς κατηφὴς καὶ συνωφρυωμένη χωρεῖ πρὸς ἡμᾶς γραῖα σημανοῦσά τι. 870

Τροφός ὦ παῖδες, ὡς ἄρʼ ἡμὶν οὐ σμικρῶν κακῶν ἦρξεν τὸ δῶρον Ἡρακλεῖ τὸ πόμπιμον.

Χορός τί δʼ, ὦ γεραιά, καινοποιηθὲν λέγεις;

Τροφός βέβηκε Δῃάνειρα τὴν πανυστάτην ὁδῶν ἁπασῶν ἐξ ἀκινήτου ποδός. 875

Χορός οὐ δή ποθʼ ὡς θανοῦσα;

Τροφός πάντʼ ἀκήκοας.

Χορός τέθνηκεν ἡ τάλαινα;

Τροφός δεύτερον κλύεις.

Χορός τάλαινʼ ὀλεθρία· τίνι τρόπῳ θανεῖν σφε φής;

Τροφός σχετλιώτατά γε πρὸς πρᾶξιν.

Χορός εἰπὲ τῷ μόρῳ, 880 γύναι, ξυντρέχει.

Τροφός αὑτὴν διηΐστωσε.

Χορός τίς θυμὸς ἢ τίνες νόσοι τάνδʼ αἰχμᾷ βέλεος κακοῦ ξυνεῖλε; πως ἐμήσατο πρὸς θανάτῳ θάνατον ἀνύσασα μόνα; 885

Τροφός στονόεντος ἐν τομᾷ σιδάρου.

Χορός ἐπεῖδες, ὦ ματαία, τάνδε τὴν ὕβριν;

Τροφός ἐπεῖδον, ὡς δὴ πλησία παραστάτις.

Χορός τίς ἦν; πῶς; φέρʼ εἰπέ. 890

Τροφός αὐτὴ πρὸς αὑτῆς χειροποιεῖται τάδε.

Χορός τί φωνεῖς;

Τροφός σαφηνῆ.

Χορός ἔτεκεν ἔτεκε δὴ μεγάλαν ἁ νέορτος ἅδε νύμφα δόμοισι τοῖσδʼ ἐρινύν. 895

Τροφός ἄγαν γε· μᾶλλον δʼ, εἰ παροῦσα πλησία ἔλευσσες οἷʼ ἔδρασε, κάρτʼ ἂν ᾤκτισας.

Χορός καὶ ταῦτʼ ἔτλη τις χεὶρ γυναικεία κτίσαι;

Thy silence argues thine accuser’s plea?

HYL

NURSE Enter Nurse . Ah! mighty, O my daughters! was the grief Sprung from the gift to Heracles conveyed!

LEADER OF CH What new thing is befallen? Why speak’st thou so?

NUR Our Queen hath found her latest journey’s end. Even now she is gone, without the help of feet. 875

CH Not dead?

NUR You know the whole.

CH Dead! hapless Queen!

NUR The truth hath twice been told.

CH O tell us how! What was her death, poor victim of dire woe?

NUR Most ruthless was the deed.

CH Say, woman, say! What was the sudden end?

NUR Herself she slew.

CH What rage, what madness, clutched The mischief-working brand? How could her single thought Contrive the accomplishment of death on death?

NUR Chill iron stopped the sources of her breath.

CH And thou, poor helpless crone, didst see this done?

NUR Yea, I stood near and saw.

CH How was it? Tell! 890

NUR With her own hand this violence was given.

CH What do I hear?

NUR The certainty of truth.

CH A child is come, From this new bridal that hath rushed within, A fresh-born Fury of woe! 895

NUR

Too true. But hadst thou been at hand to see Her action, pity would have wrung thy soul.

πότερον ἐγὼ μάταιος, ἢ κλύω τινὸς

οἴκτου δι οἴκων ἀρτίως ἐρμασμένου;

τί φημί;
865

ΤΡΟΦΟΣ.

ὦ παῖδες, ὡς ἄρ᾽ ἡμὶν ἡμῖν ῾ημὶν οὐ σμικρῶν κακῶν

ἦρξεν τὸ δῶρον ῾Ἡρακλεῖ τὸ πόμπιμον.

ΧΟ.

τί δ᾽, ὦ γεραιά, καινοποιηθὲν λέγεις;

ΤΡ.

βέβηκε Δῃάνειρα τὴν πανυστάτην

ὁδῶν ἁπασῶν ἐξ ἀκινήτου ποδός.
875

ΧΟ.

οὐ δή ποθ᾽ ὡς θανοῦσα;

ΤΡ.

πάντ᾽ ἀκήκοας.

ΧΟ.

τέθνηκεν ἡ τάλαινα;

ΤΡ.

δεύτερον κλύεις.

ΧΟ.

τάλαιν ὀλεθρία, τίνι τρόπῳ θανεῖν σφε φής;

ΤΡ.

σχετλιώτατα πρός γε πρᾶξιν.

XO.

εἰπὲ τῷ μόρῳ,

γύναι, ξυντρέχει.
880

ΤΡ.

αὐτὴν διηΐστωσε διηίστωσεν διηίστωσε.

XO.

τίς θυμός, -ἡ τίνες νόσοι-

τάνδ᾽ αἰχμὰν βέλεος κακοῦ

ξυνεῖλε ξυνεῖλε? πῶς ἐμήσατο

πρὸς θανάτῳ θάνατον
885

ἀνύσασα μόνα ;

ΤΡ.

στονόεντος ἐν τομᾷ στομαῖ στομαι τομᾷ σιδάρου σιδήρου.

ΧΟ.

ἐπεῖδες, ὦ ματαία ματαία, τάνδ᾽ ὕβριν ;

ΤΡ.

ἐπεῖδον, ὡς δὴ πλησία παραστάτις.

ΧΟ.

τίς ἦν; πῶς; φέρ᾽ εἰπέ.
890

ΤΡ.

αὐτὴ αὐτῆ αὐτὴ πρὸς αὐτῆς χειροποιεῖται τάδε.

ΧΟ.

τί φωνεῖς;

TP.

σαφηνῆ.

ΧΟ.

ἔτεκεν ἔτεκεν μεγάλαν μεγάλᾶν

ὁ νέορτος ἂν ἕορτος ἀνέορτος ἅδε ἆδε ἅδε νύμφα

δόμοισι τοῖσδ᾽ Ερινύν ἐρινῦν ἐριννύν.
895

ἄγαν γε· μᾶλλον δ᾽ om. add, εἰ η δ' εἰ παροῦσα πλησία

ἔλευσσες ἔλευσες ἔλευσσες οἷ᾽ ἔδρασε ἔδρασε(ν) ἔδρασε, κάρτ᾽ ἂν ᾤκτισας.

ΧΟ.

καὶ ταῦτ᾽ ἔτλη τις χεὶρ γυναικεία κτίσαι κτίσαϊ .. κτίσαι?

Ἡμιχόριον 1

πότερον ἐγὼ μάταιος, ἢ κλύω τινὸς

οἴκτου διʼ οἴκων ἀρτίως ὁρμωμένου; τί φημι;

Ἡμιχόριον 2

ἠχεῖ τις οὐκ ἄσημον, ἀλλὰ δυστυχῆ
865

κωκυτὸν εἴσω, καί τι καινίζει στέγη.

Ἡμιχόριον

ξύνες δὲ

τήνδʼ ὡς κατηφὴς καὶ συνωφρυωμένη

χωρεῖ πρὸς ἡμᾶς γραῖα σημανοῦσά τι.
870

Τροφός

ὦ παῖδες, ὡς ἄρʼ ἡμὶν οὐ σμικρῶν κακῶν

ἦρξεν τὸ δῶρον Ἡρακλεῖ τὸ πόμπιμον.

Χορός

τί δʼ, ὦ γεραιά, καινοποιηθὲν λέγεις;

Τροφός

βέβηκε Δῃάνειρα τὴν πανυστάτην

ὁδῶν ἁπασῶν ἐξ ἀκινήτου ποδός.
875

Χορός

οὐ δή ποθʼ ὡς θανοῦσα;

Τροφός

πάντʼ ἀκήκοας.

Χορός

τέθνηκεν ἡ τάλαινα;

Τροφός

δεύτερον κλύεις.

Χορός

τάλαινʼ ὀλεθρία· τίνι τρόπῳ θανεῖν σφε φής;

Τροφός

σχετλιώτατά γε πρὸς πρᾶξιν.

Χορός

εἰπὲ τῷ μόρῳ,
880

γύναι, ξυντρέχει.

Τροφός

αὑτὴν διηΐστωσε.

Χορός

τίς θυμὸς ἢ τίνες νόσοι

τάνδʼ αἰχμᾷ βέλεος κακοῦ ξυνεῖλε; πως ἐμήσατο

πρὸς θανάτῳ θάνατον ἀνύσασα μόνα;
885

Τροφός

στονόεντος ἐν τομᾷ σιδάρου.

Χορός

ἐπεῖδες, ὦ ματαία, τάνδε τὴν ὕβριν;

Τροφός

ἐπεῖδον, ὡς δὴ πλησία παραστάτις.

Χορός

τίς ἦν; πῶς; φέρʼ εἰπέ.
890

Τροφός

αὐτὴ πρὸς αὑτῆς χειροποιεῖται τάδε.

Χορός

τί φωνεῖς;

Τροφός

σαφηνῆ.

Χορός

ἔτεκεν ἔτεκε δὴ μεγάλαν

ἁ νέορτος ἅδε νύμφα

δόμοισι τοῖσδʼ ἐρινύν.
895

Τροφός

ἄγαν γε· μᾶλλον δʼ, εἰ παροῦσα πλησία

ἔλευσσες οἷʼ ἔδρασε, κάρτʼ ἂν ᾤκτισας.

Χορός

καὶ ταῦτʼ ἔτλη τις χεὶρ γυναικεία κτίσαι;

NURSE
Enter Nurse .

Ah! mighty, O my daughters! was the grief

Sprung from the gift to Heracles conveyed!

LEADER OF CH

What new thing is befallen? Why speak’st thou so?

NUR

Our Queen hath found her latest journey’s end.

Even now she is gone, without the help of feet.
875

CH

Not dead?

NUR

You know the whole.

CH

Dead! hapless Queen!

NUR

The truth hath twice been told.

CH

O tell us how!

What was her death, poor victim of dire woe?

NUR

Most ruthless was the deed.

CH

Say, woman, say!

What was the sudden end?

NUR

Herself she slew.

CH

What rage, what madness, clutched

The mischief-working brand?

How could her single thought

Contrive the accomplishment of death on death?

NUR

Chill iron stopped the sources of her breath.

CH

And thou, poor helpless crone, didst see this done?

NUR

Yea, I stood near and saw.

CH

How was it? Tell!
890

NUR

With her own hand this violence was given.

CH

What do I hear?

NUR

The certainty of truth.

CH

A child is come,

From this new bridal that hath rushed within,

A fresh-born Fury of woe!
895

Too true. But hadst thou been at hand to see

Her action, pity would have wrung thy soul.

CH

Could this be ventured by a woman’s hand?

CHORUS
CHORUS . MONODY .

Hat mich ein Wahn betrogen, oder hör' ich nicht

Ein Jammern, das sich eben jezt im Haus erhebt?

Was sag' ich?
850

Der zweite Halbchor.

Wohl hallt es nicht undeutlich, herzzerreißend tönt

Wehklage drinnen; neue Noth gebiert das Haus.

siehe,

Der erste Halbchor.

Wie dort die Greisin kummervoll mit düstern Brau'n

Auf uns herankommt, irgendwas uns kundzuthun!
855

Die Amme.

Die Gabe, Kinder, zugesandt dem Herakles,

Welch großes Unheil hat sie nun auf uns gebracht!

Der Chor.

Welch neuen Unfall, greise Frau, verkündest du?

Die Amme.

Den lezten aller Pfade ging die Königin,

Herakles' Gattin, mit bewegungslosem Fuß.
860

Der Chor.

Doch nicht den Pfad des Todes?

Die Amme.

Alles hörtest du.