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in allusion to an event which Teukros cannot yet be aware of, it is only necessary to remark, that Tekmessa has just informed the Angelos that this event has actually taken place, and that the Messenger speaks from his own point of view this going forth of which you speak. With regard to the use of pigs in its stricter signification of leading to a place, or its more metaphorical sense of tending to a result, it would be superfluous to multiply examples; one or two will suffice. Thuk. 3. 24, τὴν ἐς Θήβας φέρουσαν ὁδόν. Plat. Gorg. 524. A (p. 120, ed. Woolsey), iv r ręśóda ἐξ ἧς φέρετον τὰ ὁδώ, ἡ μὲν εἰς μακάρων νήσους, ἡ δ ̓ εἰς Τάρταρον. Hdt. I. 10, ἐς αἰσχύνην φέρει. Plat. Civ. IV. 144. Ε, καλὰ ἐπιτηδεύματα εἰς ἀρετῆς κτῆσιν φέρει. The remaining point is the use of the predicate adjective bagia in the sense of is 20gov, to express the tendency or result of an action, in connection with the genitivus objectivus. This will be sufficiently illustrated by Æsch. Αgam. 1079, γάμοι Πάριδος ὀλέθριοι φίλων. See Jelf's Gr. Gr. 542. 1; Pflugk to Eur. Hek. 1135.”

FELTON.

759. To soTogεíov μávτews. See note to v. 134, supra.

760. καθ ̓ ἡμέραν τὴν νῦν. SCHOL. : ἀμφιβόλως, ἤτοι μαθὼν τὴν νῦν ἡμέραν, ἢ ὅτι κατὰ τὴν νῦν ἡμέραν τεθνήξεται. The MSS. Lb. Γ. Δ. Mosq. b. Ien. read air. The collocation rǹv võv öre, and the inquiry as to the subject of the verb pigs, have given rise to considerable difference of opinion among the commentators. On the latter point, Erfurdt has suggested iμávris, and Schäfer odos, the last of which is deservedly rejected by Lobeck. Hermann pronounces the whole expression an anacoluthon, and declares that the words xa'μgav hv võv must not be disjoined from őrs, since the particles võv őre, as at Æsch. Theb. 711, Suppl. 638, are equivalent to the simple v. "Poeta debebat dicere, xa' μégav τὴν νῦν ὅτε αὐτῷ θάνατον ἢ βίον φέρουσαν, quod poterat etiam omisso ὅτε dici. Nunc, posito illo rs, non participium, quod propter r inferendum erat, adjicit, sed verbum pigs construit cum particula ore. Νῦν ὅτε mediæ orationi inseritur, ut or Te et similia." Add, sic ut structura non afficiatur. It follows from this explanation, that καθ ̓ ἡμέραν τὴν φέρει is substituted for καθ ̓ ἡμέραν τὴν φέρουσαν, a change of construction altogether without parallel. It appears to us that the poet has conjoined the words καθ' ἡμέραν τὴν νῦν in the same manner as κατ ̓ ἦμαρ τοὐμφανὲς Tò võv róds at v. 711, above, and that his meaning is evidently this: TOD Θεστορείου μάντεως μαθὼν, ὅτε καθ ̓ ἡμέραν τὴν νῦν αὐτῷ θάνατον ἢ βίον pigri, a Calchante edoctus, hodierno die Ajaci mortem aut vitam nunciante, i. e. hodiernum diem Ajaci mortem aut vitam alluturum esse dicente. On the signification here attributed to pig, see note to v. 747, supra; and, to the passages there quoted, add Trach. 123, ŵy éxiμeμpoμéva o'ädría

μèv, avría d'olow. Wunder, confessing that the writing of the books is beyond his comprehension, emends ös air, i. e. Calchas, qui hodie aut mortem ei aut vitam nunciat, and refers us, for an explanation of the postposition of the relative pronoun, to his note to Antig. 135.

761. πρόστητ ̓ ἀναγκαίας τύχης. SCHOL.: ἐπίκουροι γίγνεσθε τῆς NATETUYouons ducruxías. Consult note to v. 460, supra.

762. Καὶ σπεύσαθ ̓, οἱ μὲν Τεῦκρον . μολεῖν.

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"For the neuter verb

μολεῖν, which depends upon the imperative σπεύσατε (cf. vv. 770, 1109), the employment of a transitive verb with the meaning of to summon, might have been expected. A very similar example to our own is found

at (Ed. Kol. 246, ἄντομαι . ἀθλίῳ μεταδιδόναι αἰδοῦς.

...

τὸν ἄθλιον αἰδοῦς κῦρσαι, for ἄντομαι τῷ In the same way, the expression EvoÚTUTOV ἐμοὶ . . . . θανεῖν, v. 780, infra, is equivalent to εὐν. ἐμοὶ κτανεῖν με.” WUNDER. See note to v. 637, supra; Jelf's Gr. Gr. 664.

763. ȧvrnλious, lying opposite to the sun, looking towards the east. Aldus, with the MS. Bar. A., reads avenλious. Cf. Esch. Agam. 528; Eur. Meleag. Fragm. XXI,; Ion. 1550; Blomfield's Gl. in Agam. 502; Klausen to Agam. 447; Buttmann's Ausf. Griech. Sprachl. 17, Anm. 3; Matthiä, Gr. Gr. 35, note 3. Neue cites, in illustration of the sentiment, Eur. Orest. 1250 sqq., χωρεῖτ ̓ ἐπειγώμεσθ' · ἐγὼ μὲν οὖν τρίβον τόνδ ̓ ἐκφυλάξω, τὸν πρὸς ἡλίου βολάς.. · καὶ μὴν ἐγὼ τίνδ ̓, ὅς πρὸς ἑσπέραν φέρειν. — On the construction of the verb tva, implying motion directed to, with the simple accusative, see Jelf's Gr. Gr. 559.

764. råvogós. The MSS. г. A. O. Aug. A. B. Mosq. a. b. Lips. a. b. and the two Juntine Editions, read άvdgós.

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765. φωτὸς ἠπατημένη. These words apparently denote rus yváμns αὐτοῦ ἁμαρτοῦσα, οι αὐτοῦ ἐκείνου ἀποσφαλεῖσα, not ὑπ' αὐτοῦ, as the Scholiast supposes." LOBECK. Consult note to v. 457, supra; Porson to Eur. Orest. 491; Matthiä, Gr. Gr. 375, Obs. 1.

769. οὐχ ἕδρας ἀκμή. Compare Eur. Orest. 1277, oix ideas áɣáv. On the asyndeton, see note to v. 114, supra.

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770. Σώζειν . θανεῖν. The MS. Dresd. b. reads λovTos. The MS. Γ. reads ἄνδρα ὃς σπεύδει. The MSS. A. Aug. C, ävdga y ös äv σπεύδῃ θανεῖν, which is evidently due to the anxiety of some transcriber for the restoration of the metre. Hermann has placed a colon after ἐγκονῶμεν, erased the comma after ἀκμή, for θέλοντες has substituted the accusative θέλοντας in dependence upon the words οὐχ ἕδρας ἀκμή, in order to avoid the objectionable repetition of thought which had been previously expressed in the words ox idguréov at v. 767, supra, and has

received the correction σπεύδη, which is found in several manuscripts. Wunder properly objects, that, in place of the accusative, the dative θέλουσιν was required, comparing Philokt. 12, ἀκμὴ γὰρ οὐ μακρῶν ἡ μῖν λόγων. See Matthiä, Gr. Gr. 556, Obs. 3. Lobeck has retained the common reading, but inserts unnecessarily a comma after vdga y'. Dindorf has written ἀνέρ ̓ ὃς σπεύδει, from his own conjecture. There can be no doubt, as Hermann has observed, that Tekmessa, who knew that every person present regarded the safety of Aias of equal importance with his own, could not have given utterance to a sentiment so feeble as that presented by the reading of the common copies, and we can scarcely avoid the inference, which the fluctuation of the ancient copies is alone sufficient to suggest, that the text is here corrupt. Since, then, several of the best manuscripts exhibit the subjunctive, and a few subjoin therewith the particle », we shall be justified in concluding that, in the closing words of Tekmessa's address, a general sentiment was intended by the poet. If this be true, it follows that the particle y is altogether out of place. Wunder follows Dindorf in substituting the accusative ανέρα for the genitive ἄνδρος, and urges the reception of the genitive θέλοντος, in conformity with the reading of the MS. Dresd. a. With these alterations, the verses before us would read as follows: χωρῶ. μεν, ἐγκονῶμεν· οὐχ ἕδρας ἀκμὴ ¦ σώζειν θέλοντος ἀνέρ ̓ ὃς σπεύδη θανεῖν, i. e. let us go, let us hasten. 'Tis not the time for him to rest who wishes to save a man who hastens to meet death. If the common reading is retained, we must adopt the punctuation of the text, and consider the words οὐχ ἕδρας ἀκμή as inserted παρενθετικῶς.

771. Χωρεῖν ἕτοιμος. Paratus sum ad eundum. On the ellipse of εἰμί, see Matthiä, Gr. Gr. 306. On the infinitive of purpose after adjectives and phrases which denote capacity, ability, zeal, fitness, readiness for any purpose, and their opposites, see Jelf's Gr. Gr. 667. a. This infinitive has for its subject the word with which the adjective agrees, and may be compared with the accusative of closer specification. The MS. Γ. reads γ' ἕτοιμος. — With these words, Tekmessa, accompanied by Eurysakes and the Chorus, quits the stage. ScHOL. : μετακεῖται ἡ σκηνὴ ἐπὶ ἐρήμου τινος χωρίου, ἔνθα ὁ Αἴας, εὐπρεπίσας τὸ ξίφος, ῥῆσίν τινα πρὸ τοῦ θανάτου προφέρεται, ἐπεὶ γελοῖον ἦν κωφὸν εἰσελθόντα περιπεσεῖν τῷ ξίφει. Ἔστι δὲ τὰ τοιαῦτα παρὰ τοῖς παλαιοῖς σπάνια· ειώθασι γὰρ τὰ πεπραγμένα δι' ἀγγέλων ἀπαγγέλλειν. Τί οὖν τὸ αἴτιον; φθάνει Αἰσχύλος ἐν Θρήσσαις τὴν ἀναίρεσιν Αἴαντος δι ἀγγέλου ἀπαγγείλας. ἴσως οὖν καινοτομεῖν βουλόμενος καὶ μὴ κατακολουθεῖν τοῖς ἑτέρου τινὸς ὑπ' ὄψιν ἔθηκε τὸ δρώμενον, ἢ μᾶλλον ἐκπλῆξαι βουλόμενος· εἰκῇ γὰρ κατηγορεῖν ἀνδρὸς παλαιοῦ οὐχ ὅσιον. Brunck observes, that the

departure of the Chorus and the change of scene is a fault in the construction of the play, quod vitari nulla ratione potuit, si quidem Ajax coram spectatoribus mortem sibi consciscere debebat; in ceteris omnibus Tragici nostri fabulis chorus nunquam a scena abscedit nisi absoluta actione. Το this criticism, Lobeck excellently objects, that, "in the Eumenides of Eschylus, and the Alkestis and Helena of Euripides, the Chorus leaves the stage, either on account of the change of scene or for some other purpose (see Monk to Alkest. 672), and that this was not forbidden by ancient usage is shown by the use of the periaktoi, and by the observation of the Scholiast that it was rare ragà rõîs radaroîs. Generally, indeed, the aid of messengers, from a practice first introduced by Eschylus, who τὸ ὑπὸ σκηνῆς ἀποθνήσκειν ἐπενόησεν, ὡς μὴ ἐν φανερῷ σφάττοι, Philostr. V. Ap. 6. 11. 244, was made use of, partly to avoid the exhibition of spectacles which might revolt the feelings of the spectators, and partly on account of the difficulties attendant upon their representation. Lest, however, we should form exaggerated notions of the delicacy of the Athenians upon this point, we may mention that Euripides did not scruple to display the head of Pentheus to his audience, after his barbarous destruction by his sisters and his mother. In our own tragedy, the difficulty presented by the open nature of the stage was evaded by a special adaptation of the scenery, which, representing the outskirts of a grove, removed Aias as far as possible from the front of the proscenium to its remotest interior, and yet permitted the spectators to behold, somewhat indistinctly, in order to preserve the illusion of his distance, his fall upon his sword. On this hypothesis we are enabled to explain how it subsequently happens that the two divisions of the Chorus do not behold the corpse of Aias, whilst passing through the sodo on their return to the Orchestra, whilst Tekmessa, on the contrary, as she advances from the interior of the stage, is exposed to a full view of the catastrophe, and points out the body of her lord as lying in her own immediate neighborhood, Aïa; öd' nμïv neitai, at v. 853 sq. The Chorus (v. 847) describes the place from which her cry of horror was first heard as a város or grove, and the inference which we may draw from this expression is sustained by the language of Cicero ad Herenn. 1. 11, Ajax in silva postquam rescivit quæ per insaniam fecisset, gladio occubuit. To heighten the effect of this scene upon the audience, Sophokles probably availed himself of that artificial representative of Hektor's fatal gift, (which we take occasion to observe enacts as conspicuous a part in this Tragedy as the fatal shirt of Nessos in the Trachinian Virgins,) described by Achilles Tat. 3. 20. 77, as commonly

employed by actors πρὸς τὰς κιβδήλους σφαγάς, οὗ ὁ σίδηρος εἰς τὴν κώπην ἀνατρέχει. That actors who impersonated the hero of our tragedy used this instrument of mimic death,' as it is termed by Petronius, c. XCIV., is evident from the following citations. HESYCHIUS: Συσπαστὸν τῶν Τραγικῶν τε ἐγχειρίδιον ἐκαλεῖτο, ὡς Πολέμων φησι, τὸ συντρέχον ἐν Αἴαντος ὑποκρίσει. The same authority has also mentioned that it possessed two other names. ̓Ανδρομητὸν συσπαστὸν ἐγχειρίδιον παρὰ Τραγικοῖς, (evidently the same with that to which Achilles applies the epithet ανατρέ χον,) and "Αηκτον συσπαστὸν ἐγχειρίδιον παρὰ Παρεντίνοις. Lipsius, Elect. 1. 18, and Carpzof, Parad. Arist. 1. 7. p. 121, suppose that the cluden or gladius scenicus used by the ancient mimes was the same weapon, but are mistaken in asserting that it was also called clunaculum, since this sacrificial knife corresponds more nearly with the παραμήριον. See Hesychius, s. v. Κλονιστήρ. Spanheim to Julian. Οr. 1. 252. Oudendorp to Apul. Apol. p. 560. In addition to the weighty testimony of Polemon, above quoted, the Scholiast has recorded in his observations to v. 823, that Timotheos of Zakynthos attained such celebrity by the accuracy with which he represented the death of Aias as to be named σφαγεύς.” LOBECK.

773. Ὁ μὲν σφαγεὺς ἕστηκεν. SCHOL. : πήξας δὲ τὸ ξίφος ταῦτά φησι. σφαγέα δὲ λέγει ἢ τὸν καιρὸν τοῦ ἀποθανεῖν ἢ τὸν διὰ τῆς σφαγῆς θάνατον. A more accurate explanation is given by Pollux, VI. 192, σφαγεὺς παρὰ Σοφοκλεῖ καὶ τὸ ξίφος. Compare Eur. Androm. 1133, βουπόροι σφαγεῖς, or-piercing, sacrificial knives. At v. 970, infra, the word φονεύς is substituted in a precisely similar signification.

775. ἀνδρὸς . . . . μισηθέντος. On the intense hatred borne by Aias to Hektor, see Hom. Il. 13. 809 sqq.; 17. 128. We have erased the comma which is inserted after adgos in the common copies, in order that the coherence of the words ἀνδρὸς ξένων μάλιστα μισηθέντος may be more distinctly recognized. Lobeck is mistaken in supposing that avgós is redundant here, as at (d. Kol. 109, οἰκτείρατ ̓ ἀνδρὸς Οἰδίπου τόδ ̓ ἄθλιον εἴδωλον. A mere glance at the connection of this verse with those which follow will suffice to show that it is placed in opposition to y at v. 777, and that the sentiment intended to be conveyed by the poet is briefly this: The instrument of slaughter will accomplish its end; for, in the first place, it is the gift of a man whom I regarded as my most hated foe (of Hektor), and, in the second, it is fixed securely in a country which entertains the most hostile sentiments to myself (in Troas).

777. ἐν γῇ πολεμίᾳ τῇ Τρῳάδι. SCHOL. : πρόδηλον μὲν, ὅμως διὰ τὸ περιπαθές, ὅτι ἐν πολεμίᾳ γῇ ὑπὸ δυσμενοῦς ἀπόλλυμαι.

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