Sir Richard C. Jebb, Commentary on Sophocles: Electra

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του παρόντος has better MS. authority than “τοῦ παρόντος”, and is preferred by most editors; but the choice is nicely balanced. (1) τοῦ gives the simplest construction for παρόντος, and the better rhythm. But it is also somewhat strange, as implying that the presence of one person, and no more, was to be expected on such an occasion. In 927, “τοῦ πλησίον παρόντος ἡνίκ᾽ ὤλλυτο”, the reference is definitely to the paedagogus. (2) του is strongly recommended by Eur. Med. 67“ἤκουσά του λέγοντος, οὐ δοκῶν κλύειν”. The constr. then is “τοιαῦτα ἐξηγουμένου ἔκλυόν του, παρόντος ἡνίκα ἡλίῳ δείκνυσι τὸ ὄναρ”: and “παρόντος” is properly predicative,=‘inasmuch as he was present’ (and therefore able to tell). On the whole, I now prefer “του”. Hartung, to show the constr., points thus, “τοιαῦτά του, παρόντος ἡνίχ᾽ κ.τ.λ.”: needlessly, I think.

Ἡλίῳ δείκνυσι τοὖναρ. Cp. I. T. 42 “ἃ καινὰ δ᾽ ἥκει νὺξ φέρουσα φάσματα”, | “λέξω πρὸς αἰθέῤ, εἴ τι δὴ τόδ᾽ ἔστ᾽ ἄκος”. Schol.: “τοῖς γὰρ παλαιοῖς ἔθος ἦν ἀποτροπιαζομένους” (by way of expiation) “τῷ ἡλίῳ διηγεῖσθαι τὰ ὀνείρατα”. The popular attributes of“Ἥλιος” suggest more than one reason for such a custom. 1. He is the god of light and purity, “ἁγνὸς θεός” ( Pind. O. 7. 60), who dispels the terrors of darkness. 2. As the all-seeing god, “πανόπτης”, he is especially the detector of guilt ( Hom. Od. 8. 270), able to reveal the lurking danger which an evil dream might foreshadow. 3. And, generally, he is a saving power (“σωτήρ”, Paus. 8. 31. 7): cp. Suppl. 213 “καλοῦμεν αὐγὰς Ἡλίου σωτηρίους”.