Sir Richard C. Jebb, Commentary on Sophocles: Electra

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τὸ μὴ καλὸν καθοπλίσασα. I believe that “καθοπλίσασα” is corrupt, and has supplanted some word which meant ‘having rejected’ or ‘spurned.’ In the antistrophic verse (1095), “βεβῶσαν, ἃ δὲ μέγιστ᾽ ἔβλαστε κ.τ.λ.”, two short syllables (“ἃ δὲ”) correspond with the (now) long final of “καλόν”. The best conjecture is H. Heinrich SchmidtJ. 's ἀπολακτίσασα, which gives precisely the required sense, and also an exact metrical correspondence with the antistrophe. Cp. Aesch. P. V. 651“σὺ δ̓, ὦ παῖ, μὴ ἀπολακτίσῃς λέχος” | “τὸ Ζηνός”: Aesch. Eum. 141“κἀπολακτίσασ᾽ ὕπνον”. Only, if this was the original word, then we must suppose that it had been partly obliterated before “καθοπλίσασα” took its place. The same remark, however, applies more or less to the other conjectures, as “ἀποπτύσασα” (Gleditsch, prefixing “δ̓”: Blaydes, prefixing “τ̓”): “καταπτύσασα” (Paley): “καθαγνίσασα” (Campbell, ‘purging away as by fire’): “καθιππάσασα” (Hermann; but the act. form does not occur).

If καθοπλίσασα be retained, the choice is between two explanations, of which I prefer the first.

(1) ‘Having vanquished dishonour’ (schol. “καταπολεμήσασα τὸ αἰσχρόν”), i.e., having overcome the temptation of ignoble ease and security. “καθοπλίζω” elsewhere means to ‘arm’ or ‘equip,’ never ‘to subdue by arms’; if it has the latter sense here, it follows the analogy of such compounds as “κατακοντίζω, καταιχμάζω, κατατοξεύω”.

(2) ‘Having made ready an unlovely deed’: i.e., the vengeance on the murderers.—See Appendix.