γὰρ justifies “χρηστὰ μωμένη. —στέργημα” occurs only here. Its formation from “στέργ-ω” is anomalous, since the word ought to be “στέργμα”: but the same may be said of “στέργηθρον” (instead of “στέρκτρον”): and “θέλγητρον” was in use along with “θέλκτρον”. [Lidd. and Scott cite “θέλγημα” from Suidas s.v. “βουκ<*>λήσας”: but Bernhardy (ed. 1853, vol. I. p. 1017) reads “θέλγητρον” there, without noting a variant.] The objection to “στέργημα” from the form is not, then, decisive. As to sense, “στέργηθρον”, like “φίλτρον”, is ‘an instrument for producing love’; while “στέργημα”, like “φίλημα”, ought to denote an effect. But here, again, we must allow for the freedom of poetical diction. The analogy of “κήλημα”, ‘a spell’ ( Eur. Tro.893), by the side of “κήληθρον” (Bek ker Anecd. p. 46. 25), is not a strict one, since “κήλημα” is properly, ‘an effect of charming’; still, such an analogy may have influenced a poet who found “στέργημα” more convenient than “στέργηθρον”. Hyllus presently refers to this charm as “τοιῷδε φίλτρῳ” (1142): which rather suggests that a word in the sing. number was used here also. Cp. 575 “κηλητήριον”: 685 “φάρμακον”. (In 584 f. the plurals “φίλτροις, θέλκτροισι” describe the class of remedy: they do not directly denote the unguent.) For these reasons I refrain from changing στέργημα, with Nauck, to στέργηθρα. σέθεν, objective gen. with “στέργημα”. δοκοῦσα, imperf. partic. ( Ant.166 n.), =“ὅτε ἐδόκει”. The position of the clause, “ὡς προσεῖδε τοὺς ἔνδον γάμους”, which would properly precede “ἀπήμπλακε”, is made possible by the strong emphasis on “στέργημα...δοκοῦσα προσβαλεῖν”: ‘It was a love-charm that she thought to apply (though she failed), when she saw,’ etc. The leading idea of the sentence is here expressed by the participial clause (592 n.). τοὺς ἔνδον γάμους: cp. 843 “νέων...γάμων”, and 460 (n. on “ἔγημε”). ‘The new union (=the new paramour) in the house there,’—a way of indicating Iolè, whom he abhors (1233), without naming her. Cp. the euphemistic “τῆς...κατ᾽ οἴκους” in O. T.1447.—The new turn given to the thoughts of Heracles by vv. 1141 f. averts them wholly from Deianeira; and he speaks no word of pardon.
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Sophocles: The Plays and Fragments, with critical notes, commentary, and translation in English prose. Part V: The Trachiniae. Sir Richard C. Jebb. Cambridge. Cambridge University Press. 1902.
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