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τοιγάρ σ᾽ δαίμων. The thought is: “"Therefore the avenging deity has his eyes upon thee; not yet, however, with a gaze so fierce as that which he will turn on thee anon, if (as thou tellest me) these hosts are marching against Thebes."” A certain measure of retribution has already come on the wicked son, who is “"a beggar and an exile"” (1335); and the measure will soon be filled by a fratricide's death. For εἰσορᾷ cp. 1536: so “βλέπειν πρός τινα”, 279. The μὲν after “εἰσορᾷ” properly implies such a statement as this:—“εἰσορᾷ μὲν νῦν, αὐτίκα δὲ καὶ μᾶλλον εἰσόψεται”. Instead of the second clause, a more reticent and more impressive form of speech is abruptly substituted, — οὔ τί πω ὡς αὐτίκ̓. With L's που (“"I ween"”) the sense would be the same. Dobree's “σε δαίμωνὃς αὐτίκ̓” is less effective, because it destroys the unity and continuity of the divine retribution.

I hold εἴπερ to be right: it refers to the statement made by Polyneices, which it does not call in question, but merely notes as the condition.

κινοῦνται refers to the march from Argos: it would be over-subtle to take it of the advance from the camp in the plain to the walls of the city. With Heimsoeth's εἴ ποθ᾽ the sense would be: “"if ever these hosts are destined to move,"” the pres. with ποτέ being an “"oracular"” future ( Ph. 113αἱρεῖ τὰ τόξα ταῦτα τὴν Τροίαν μόνα”).


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    • Sophocles, Philoctetes, 113
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