κατοπτευθῶ: cp. Ai. 829“πρὸς ἐχθρῶν του κατοπτευθείς.” καὶ τὸν σκοπὸν κ.τ.λ. The “σκοπός” is the attendant of Neoptolemus who had been sent to watch the neighbourhood of the cave, lest Philoctetes should take Odysseus by surprise (46). Now that Odysseus is going back to his ship, such a “σκοπός” is no longer needed. And it is natural that Odysseus should expect to meet the sentinel, since the latter would be keeping watch on that side of the cave at which Odysseus himself had hitherto been standing; viz., the side nearest to the ships. ναῦν here means the ship of Neoptolemus. See Introduction, p. xx, n. 1.
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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