Front matter

This ebook, based on a book first published in 1725, was created in honour of Distributed Proofreaders’ 25th Anniversary.

THE PHILOCTETES OF SOPHOCLES.

Translated from the GREEK.

Graiis ingenium, Graiis dedit ore rotundo

Musa loqui, præter laudem nullius avaris.

Hor.

DUBLIN:

Printed by J. Hyde and E. Dobson, for R. Owen

Bookseller in Skinner-Row. M.DCC.XXV.

TO THE

Right Honourable

THE

Lady CARTERET.

Madam,

With great Submission I present and dedicate the following Translation to Your Ladyship, having no other way of shewing my Gratitude, for the great Honour My Lord Lieutenant did me by His Presence, when my Scholars acted a Play of Sophocles in Greek. I have made choice of the same Author to entertain Your Ladyship, and he now makes his Appearance before You in plain English, but much to his disadvantage, which I hope will be excused, since I attempted it for the Reason which I already mentioned.

The Translation I have made is as close as the Propriety of our Language will admit, and Your Ladyship will observe in it at least some Traces of the Author’s Genius. But as the lowest Painter in drawing Your Ladyship’s Picture, would be able to discover, that he at least designed to represent something extraordinary, and the best must needs fall infinitely short of the Original; So I cannot but hope that Your Ladyship will observe in this Translation some faint Lineaments of the Author’s great Genius, superior to that of all modern Tragedians. And I cannot but fear, that you will easily perceive how unable I am to do him Justice, thro’ my own Defects, as well as those of our own Language. And this would still be worse, if Your Ladyship should be so cruel to desire My Lord Lieutenant to criticize upon these Papers, His Excellency will detect, and expose me in every Line, and convince You, in a few Minutes, that I am as far unable to express that Sublime in Sophocles, as I should be able to describe the Virtues of Your Ladyship, or His Excellency, which is the only Cause that I pass them over in Silence in this Dedication.

I have added a few Notes, to explain some Passages that depend upon the Fabulous Stories of the antient Greeks, which perhaps may have escaped Your Ladyship’s Reading.

I humbly entreat Your Ladyship’s Pardon for this my Presumption, and remain with all Respect

Your Ladyship’s

Most Obedient,

Humble Servant,

Thomas Sheridan.