ἐν λόγοις. If “ἐν” is sound, the phrase must mean ‘a witness present at (the utterance of) these words.’ Cp. Plat. Phaedo 115E “μηδὲ λέγῃ ἐν τῇ ταφῇ”, ‘at the funeral,’ i.e., while it is taking place. The expression is unusual; but I hesitate to receive Gernhard's conject. ὢν. συντυχὼν, ‘having found them bad men in my intercourse with them (“σύν-”).’ The force of the simple “τυχών” here prevails over that of the prep., and so a gen. replaces the regular dat. Since in O. C. 1483“σοῦ τύχοιμι” must be read for “συντύχοιμι”, there is no other extant example of “συντυγχάνω” with gen. But there are analogies for the exception: in 1333 “ἐντυχὼν Ἀσκληπιδῶν” is the only instance of a gen. (instead of dat.) with “ἐντυγχάνω”, except Her. 4. 140“λελυμένης τῆς γεφύρης ἐντυχόντες”. Again, Her. 552“προστυχόντι τῶν ἴσων” and Soph. El. 1463“ἐμοῦ κολαστοῦ προστυχών” are isolated examples of a gen., instead of dat., with that compound. In 719 “παιδὸς ὑπαντήσας” (instead of “παιδὶ”) is also unique. Cp. Soph. Tr. 17“κοίτης ἐμπελασθῆναι” (where the dat. would be normal). It may be added that here, where “συντυχών” expresses, not merely a meeting with the men, but an experience of their character, the gen. has a special excuse.—We cannot make “συντυχών” mean=‘having found them bad men, as you have done’ (i.e., “σύν σοι”).
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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