λιμένες, bays or creeks, near the cave,—not necessarily implying anchorage: cp. 302 “οὐ γάρ τις ὅρμος ἐστίν” (n.). So in Il. 1. 432 the “λιμὴν πολυβενθής” is merely the bay, while the “ὅρμος” is the anchorage within it (ib. 435).— προβλῆτες here=“ἄκραι”, promontories: in Homer always an adj. (with “ἀκταί”, etc.). It is curious to note that, just in that part of his epic for which he would naturally have consulted this play, Quintus Smyrnaeus reproduces this use of “προβλής” (10. 175 “οὐδέ νυ τόν γε” | “εἴργουσιν προβλῆτες”). ξυνουσίαι θηρῶν: for the periphrasis cp. 868. καταρρῶγες, only here: a poet. substitute for “ἀπορρῶγες” ( Xen. An. 4. 6. 3“πέτρα ἀπορρώξ”).
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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