πῶς γὰρ οὔχ; sc. “δέξεται.” ὅτῳ πάρα (“πάρεστι”)..γελᾶν, ‘the man whose wont it is to wear no brighter smile (than usual), even when he is fortunate.’ “μή” is used, not “οὐ”, because “ὅτῳ” here denotes a class or type. For this ‘generic’ “μή”, see O. T. 397 n.—“πάρα. πάρεστι”, when thus used, is susceptible of two different shades of meaning. (1) More often it denotes one's situation at some given moment; as in 432, “νῦν γὰρ πάρεστι καὶ δὶς αἰάζειν ἐμοί”. (2) Sometimes, as here, it denotes a trait of character or disposition; cp. Eur. Med. 658“ἀχάριστος ὄλοιθ᾽ ὅτῳ πάρεστι ι μὴ φίλους τιμᾶν” (‘one who is capable of not respecting friendship’). In this sense “πρόσεστι” is more frequent. The v.l. ἵλεων for ἥδιον is very inferior, and undoubtedly corrupt. It evidently arose from “λεως” in 1009. The force of the comparative here is manifest: ‘If good fortune cannot lessen his gloom, what will his aspect be now?’
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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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