ξυρεῖ … ἐν χρῷ. The metaphor from close shaving ( Her. 4. 175“κείροντες ἐν χροΐ”) means that the moment is critical: “παροιμία ἐπὶ τῶν ἐπικινδύνων πραγμάτων”. The razor grazes the surface of the flesh. Itwould convey a different notion if we said, ‘the knife cuts to the quick.’ (The Lat. tondere ad vivam cutem is used of ‘fleecing’ a person in Plaut. Bacch. 2. 3. 8.) Thus the different image in Ant. 996, “ἐπὶ ξυροῦ τύχης”, is yet kindred in purport. For ἐν χρῷ, cp. Lucian Adv. Indoct. 3 “τῆς ἐν χρῷ πρὸς τὰ βιβλία συνουσίας”.—The dat. χρῷ occurs only in this phrase. Sophocles has “χρωτί” in Ant. 246, Tr. 767, and the Ion. “χροΐ” in Tr. 605.Cp. “γέλῳ” ( Od. 18. 100), “ἔρῳ” (ib. 212), “ἱδρῷ” ( Il. 17. 385), “φῷ” (‘light,’ Eur. fr. 534). μὴ χαίρειν τινά: inf. of result, without “ὥστε”: 822: Ant. 63“ἀρχόμεσθ᾽ ἐκ κρεισσόνων”, | “καὶ ταῦτ᾽ ἀκούειν κ.τ.λ.” (n.). 787 f. Tecmessa, who, at the desire of Ajax (684), had withdrawn into the tent (692), now re-enters, with Eurysaces (cp. 809). ἀτρύτων: Pind. P. 4. 178“ἄτρυτον πόνον”: Moschus 4. 69 “ἀτρύτ <*>τιν ι ἄλγεσι μοχθίζουσαν”.
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Sophocles: The Plays and Fragments, with critical notes, commentary, and translation in English prose. Part VII: The Ajax. Sir Richard C. Jebb. Cambridge. Cambridge University Press. 1907.
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