ἀναρσίαν, ‘unkindly’ (cp. 853), ‘harsh,’—referring to the use of the flute in wild or mournful music. Cp. Sextus Empiricus Adv. Math. 6. 22 “διὸ καὶ τοῖς πενθοῦσιν αὐλοὶ μελῳδοῦσιν οἱ τὴν λύπην αὐτῶν ἐπικουφίζοντες”. Lucian De Luct. § 19 “ἡ πρὸς τὸν αὐλὸν αὕτη στερνοτυπία”. Plato Legg. 800 E, “Καρικῇ τινι μούσῃ προπέμπουσι τοὺς τελευτήσαντας”, alludes to “αὐλῳδοί” (cp. Pollux 4. 75). ἐπάνεισιν, ‘return,’ but also with the notion of sound rising. θείας … μούσας, sc. “καναχάν”, a sound of music made to the gods (in thanksgiving): ἀντίλυρον, like that of the lyre: schol. “ἰσόλυρον”. This is simpler than to understand, ‘responsive’ to it (as if both instruments were used). The lyre, ‘common treasure of Apollo and the Muses’ ( Pind. P.1. 1), was peculiarly associated with joyous worship. Cp. O.C. 1222 n. ἀχῶν, as a correction of ἰάχων, is hardly doubtful, since a resolution of the long syllable would impair the rhythm (cp. 635 “Οἴτας”).
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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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