Sir Richard C. Jebb, Commentary on Sophocles: Electra

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χὥπως μὲν “κ.τ.λ.”: ‘and, to speak briefly, where there is much that might be told (“ἐν πολλοῖσι”), I do not know the deeds and triumphs of such a man,’—i.e., I have never seen, or heard of, his equal. Then, in 690, “ἓν δ̓ ἴσθ̓ κ.τ.λ., δέ” answers to the “μέν” in 688: i.e.: ‘The briefest way, indeed (“μέν”), of describing his exploits, is simply to say that they were matchless. But (“δέ”) one particular you must be told,—viz., that he won in all the contests.’—For “ἐν πολλοῖσι”, cp. Pind. P. 9. 83“βαιὰ δ᾽ ἐν μακροῖσι ποικίλλειν, ἀκοὰ σοφοις”: ‘to adorn a few things, where the choice is large, best pleases a poet's ear’: Thuc. 8. 53§ 1 “λόγους ἐποιοῦντο ἐν τῷ δήμῳ κεφαλαιοῦντες ἐκ πολλῶν”.—For “ὅπως”, without “ἄν”, cp. 390.

Others explain:—“οὐκ οἶδα δὲ ὅπως τοιοῦδ᾽ ἀνδρὸς ἔργα καὶ κράτη λέγω σοι παῦρα ἐν πολλοῖς”: ‘I do not know how to describe his deeds to you briefly, when they were so many.’ The place of “οἶδα” can be justified by O.T. 1251. But: (1) thus construed, the words ought to mean, ‘I do not know how to describe his deeds as few.’ The other meaning would require “ἐν παύροις”, or the like. And (2) “ἐν πολλοῖσι” is then awkward.