οὐ μήν. In this formula, as in “καὶ μήν, ἀλλὰ μήν, μήν” is properly adversative (‘however’): cp. O. T. 810“οὐ μὴν ἴσην γ᾽ ἔτεισεν”. Here “μήν” is like ‘nay,’ or ‘well’: i.e., the thought implied is, ‘I should prefer a promise on oath; however, I do not like to ask for it.’ ἔνορκον … θέσθαι, = “ὅρκῳ πιστῶσαι”: cp. O. T. 276“ὥσπερ μ᾽ ἀραῖον ἔλαβες”. So Oed. to Theseus, in a like case: O. C. 650“οὔτοι σ᾽ ὑφ᾽ ὅρκου γ᾽ ὡς κακὸν πιστώσομαι”, where see n.
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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