πλεῖς is more dramatic than πλεῖν, which would also be awkward after “λέγειν.” ὡς πρὸς οἶκον. “πρός” states the direction of the voyage: “ὡς” merely adds an indication of the voyager's purpose: ‘thou art homeward bound.’ (Not, ‘thou art sailing as if for home,’ with ref. to the story being untrue.) Cp. Ai. 44“ἦ καὶ τὸ βούλευμ᾽ ὡς ἐπ᾽ Ἀργείοις τόδ᾽ ἦν”; ‘was this plot, in his intention (“ὡς”), against the Greeks?’ (though the actual victims were the cattle). Thuc. 4. 93“παρεσκευάζετο ὡς ἐς μάχην”, made his dispositions with a view (“ὡς”) to fighting. H. 1. 1. 12 “ἀνάγεσθαι ἤδη αὐτοῦ μέλλοντος ὡς ἐπὶ ναυμαχίαν.” ἔχθος ἐχθήρας μέγα: cp. El. 1034“οὐδ᾽ αὖ τοσοῦτον ἔχθος ἐχθαίρω σ᾽ ἐγώ”. For the aor. part. cp. 227, 309: Pind. N. 7. 88“φιλήσαντ̓” (having formed a friendship); Soph. O. T. 11 n., Soph. O. T. 649 n.
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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