ἀλλ᾽ ὅτι δύνᾳ “κ.τ.λ.” The connection of thought is:—‘A sick man is very easily awakened. But the bow must be carried off without awakening him (λάθρᾳ).’ δύνᾳ=“δύνασαι”, cp. 798. (Not Doric for “δύνῃ”, as some have thought: “ῃ” was not changed in the Doric subjunct.) κεῖνο … κεῖνο, with the same kind of emphasis as “αὐτὸ τοῦτο” in 77. The Chorus are unmoved by what N. has said (841). They repeat that the bow should be taken, and Ph. left behind. As to the conjectural insertion of δή, see on 834. μοι, ethic (763). ὅτι δ. μάκιστον (Doric for “μήκιστον”) ἐξιδοῦ, lit., ‘look forth to the furthest possible point,’ i.e., ‘use all possible precaution,’—a fresh warning not to disturb the sleeper by the slightest noise, but to depart while there is yet time. Cp. Il. 20. 342“μέγ᾽ ἔξιδεν ὀφθαλμοῖσιν”, he strained his sight (in eager search): ib. 23. 477 “οὔτε τοι ὀξύτατον κεφαλῆς ἐκδέρκεται ὄσσε.” ὅπᾳ is preferable to ὅπως where the particular mode of effecting the object is in question; and it is supported by the corrector of L (cr. 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.
The National Endowment for the Humanities provided support for entering this text.
