προσέσχε has been much suspected, because “προσέχω”, in its nautical use, means, ‘touch at’ a place, not, ‘cause one to touch at it.’ But “προσέχω”, as=‘touch at,’ meant properly, ‘to guide one's ship towards’ ( Her. 9. 99“προσσχόντες τὰς νέας”),—“ναῦν” being commonly understood. Where prose, then, would say, “τίνος χρῄζων προσέσχες” (“τὴν ναῦν”); poetry might surely say, “τίς χρεία προσέσχε σε”; ‘what need guided thy course to land?’ It may be added that προσήγαγεν is itself an argument for προσέσχε. ‘Brought thee to this shore,—aye, brought thee to my side.’ “προσέσχε” implies only a passing visit to the coast; “προσήγαγε” supplements it in a way suitable to the forlorn man's eager hope.
This text is part of:
Sophocles: The Plays and Fragments, with critical notes, commentary, and translation in English prose. Part IV: The Philoctetes. Sir Richard C. Jebb. Cambridge. Cambridge University Press. 1932.
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