τούτων with μὴ τυχών (=“εἰ μὴ τύχοι”): the place of the pron. is emphatic; cp. 598 n. κάρα τέμνειν= “κεφαλὴν ἀποτέμνειν” (or poet. “καρατομεῖν”). The Homeric Odysseus twice uses this expression; Il. 2. 259“μηκέτ᾽ ἔπειτ᾽ Ὀδυσῆι κάρη ὤμοισιν ἐπείη”—if he does not chastise Thersites; and Od. 16. 102“αὐτίκ᾽ ἔπειτ᾽ ἀπ᾽ ἐμεῖο κάρη τάμοι ἀλλότριος φώς” —if he should not punish the suitors.— ἐφεῖτο, usu. ‘commanded’ or ‘enjoined’; here rather, ‘gave leave.’ [In Xen. An. 6. 6. 31“ἡ στρατιά σοι ὑφεῖτο ὅ τι ἐβούλου ποιῆσαι, ἐφεῖτο” is only a doubtful v. l.]
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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