φρενόθεν γ̓, by the prompting of thine own mind,—if it had not been deranged by some god. Schol. “οἴκοθεν” (=in virtue of thine own qualities), “ἀπὸ οἰκείας γνώσεως”. The emphasis given by γε shows that this is the meaning.—Not “ἐπ᾽ ἀριστερὰ φρενόθεν” (as=“φρενῶν”), ‘to the leftward of thy mind’: nor, ‘went from good sense (=“ἀπὸ φρενῶν”) into folly.’ ἐπ᾽ ἀριστερὰ … ἔβας, deviating from the right course: Aesch. P. V. 883“ἔξω δὲ δρόμου φέρομαι λύσσης ι πνεύματι μάργῳ”. Theognetus (a poet of the New Comedy), “Φάσμα” fr. 1. 7 “ἐπαρίστερ᾽ ἔμαθες, ὦ πονηρέ, γράμματα” (i.e., ‘to your misfortune’). Schneid. cp. Ennius Annales 208 “Quo vobis mentes, rectae quae stare solebant | Antehac, dementes sese flexere viai?” τόσσον: the only example, except Aesch. Ag. 140, of this form in Tragedy. πίτνων, instead of “ὥστε πίτνειν”: cp. Ant. 752“ἦ κἀπαπειλῶν ὧδ᾽ ἐπεξέρχει θρασύς;” (‘doth thy boldness run to open threats?’）
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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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