Sophocles Antigone 194

ed. August Boeckh

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ANTIGONE.
Str. 2. 839

Weh mir! Verlacht werd' ich! Warum, o Vatergötter,

verhöhnst du mich, eh' ich hinstarb,

eh' ich verschwunden?

O Stadt, o der Stadt
810

reichbegüterte Männer,

weh, weh!

o Dirka's Quell, o Theba's

der wagenberühmten Lusthain,

euch alle beschwör' ich, seid Zeugen,
815

wie unbeweint von Freunden, kraft welches Rechts

zum gruftgehöhlten Kerker ich des neuen Grabes wandeln mufs!

Mir Unsel'gen, weh,

die nicht auf Erden, nicht im Hades,

im Leben nicht heimisch, nicht im Tode!
820

Antigone. Sophocles. ed. August Boeckh. Leipzig. 1884.

Current edition Experimental

German (A. Boeckh, 1884) (OCR draft) (German) (German (A. Boeckh, 1884))

Provisional text from uncorrected OCR; expect errors.

Editions (12)

Greek (L. Benloew, 1858) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (L. Benloew, 1858)) — 194 focus

ὄλωλε τῆσδε, πάντ᾽ ἀριστεύσας δορὶ,

Greek (A. Boeckh, 1884) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (A. Boeckh, 1884)) — 194 focus

τὸν δ᾽ αὖ ξύναιμον τοῦδε, Πολυνείκην λέγω,

Greek (F. H. Bothe, 1806) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (F. H. Bothe, 1806)) — 194 focus

τάφῳ τε κρύψαι, καὶ τὰ πάντ᾽ ἐφαγνίσαι,

Greek (Lewis Campbell, 1879) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (Lewis Campbell, 1879)) — 194 focus

Ἐτεοκλέα μέν, ὃς πόλεως ὑπερμαχῶν

Greek (A. Colonna, 1978) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (A. Colonna, 1978)) — 194 focus

Ἐτεοκλέα μέν, ὃς πόλεως ὑπερμαχῶν

Greek (A. Dain, 1955) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (A. Dain, 1955)) — 194.mvp-line-194 focus

Ἐτεοκλέα μέν, ὃς πόλεως ὑπερμαχῶν

Greek (R. D. Dawe, 1979) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (R. D. Dawe, 1979)) — 194 focus

Ἐτεοκλέα μέν, ὃς πόλεως ὑπερμαχῶν

Greek (G. Hermann, 1830) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (G. Hermann, 1830)) — 194 focus

Ἐτεοκλέα μέν, ὃς πόλεως ὑπερμαχῶν

Greek (R. C. Jebb, 1906) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (R. C. Jebb, 1906)) — 194 focus

Ἐτεοκλέα μέν, ὃς πόλεως ὑπερμαχῶν

Greek (A. C. Pearson, 1924) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (A. C. Pearson, 1924)) — 194.mvp-line-194 focus

Ἐτεοκλέα μέν, ὃς πόλεως ὑπερμαχῶν

Antigone (OCR draft) Experimental (Antigone) — 194 focus

Ἐτεοκλέα μέν, ὃς πόλεως ὑπερμαχῶν

Greek (K. Reinhardt, 1949) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (K. Reinhardt, 1949)) — 194 focus

Ἐτεοκλέα μέν, ὃς πόλεως ὑπερμαχῶν

Translations (9)

Spanish (J. A. Bolufer, 1921) (OCR draft) Experimental (Spanish (J. A. Bolufer, 1921)) — 194 focus

ANTIGONA

¡Ay de mí! Esa voz suena muy cerca de mi muerte.

Latin (F. H. Bothe, 1806) (OCR draft) Experimental (Latin (F. H. Bothe, 1806)) — 194 focus

Antigone

Hei mihi! mortem proxime haec vox accedit.

English (Lewis Campbell, 1906) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Lewis Campbell, 1906)) — 194 focus

CHORUS
CHORUS. 944

Even Danaë’s beauty left the lightsome day.

Closed in her strong and brass-bound tower she lay

In tomb-like deep confine.
945

Yet she was gendered, O my child!

From sires of noblest line,

And treasured for the Highest the golden rain.
950

Fated misfortune hath a power so fell:

Not wealth, nor warfare wild,

Nor dark spray-dashing coursers of the main

955

Against great Destiny may once rebel.
955

He too in darksome durance was compressed,

King of Edonians, Dryas’ hasty son,

In eyeless vault of stone

Immured by Dionysus’ hest,
960

All for a wrathful jest.

Fierce madness issueth in such fatal flower.

He found ’twas mad to taunt the Heavenly Power,
965
966

Chilling the Maenad breast

Kindled with Bacchic fire, and with annoy

Angering the Muse that in the flute hath joy.

And near twin rocks that guard the Colchian sea,
970

Bosporian cliffs ’fore Salmydessus rise,

Where neighbouring Ares from his shrine beheld

Phineus’ two sons by female fury quelled.

With cursèd wounding of their sight-reft eyes,

That cried to Heaven to ’venge the iniquity.
975

The shuttle’s sharpness in a cruel hand

977

Dealt the dire blow, not struck with martial brand.

But chiefly for her piteous lot they pined,
980

Who was the source of their rejected birth.

She touched the lineage of Erechtheus old;

Whence in far caves her life did erst unfold,

Cradled ’mid storms, daughter of Northern wind,

Steed-swift o’er all steep places of the earth.
985

Yet even on her, though reared of heavenly kind,

The long-enduring Fates at last took hold.

German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review) (OCR draft) Experimental (German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review)) — 211 focus

Dir, Sohn Menökeus', Kreon, ist es so genehm

Mit dieses Landes Gegner und mit seinem Freund.

Denn jede Sazung anzuordnen steht dir frei,

So für die Todten, wie für uns, die Lebenden.

Kreon.

Seid ihr die Hüter dessen nun, was ich gebot!
215

Der Chor.

Der Jüngern Einem lege dies zu tragen auf.

Kreon.

Die, so den Leichnam hüten, steh'n ja schon bereit.

Der Chor.

Warum denn einem Andern noch gebeutst du dies?

Kreon.

Daß Keinem Nachsicht werde, der dawider thut.

Der Chor.

Wer ist so thöricht, daß er sich zu sterben sehnt?
220

Kreon.

Und dieses wäre, traun, der Lohn; doch Vielen ja

Hat schon die Hoffnung auf Gewinn den Tod gebracht.

Ein Wächter. Die Voriger.

Der Wächter.

Herr, ich will nicht sagen, daß ich athemlos

Vor Eile komme mit behend erhob'nem Fuß;

Denn viel Bedenken schus mir manchen Aufenthalt,
225

Und oft zur Rückkehr wandt' ich unterwegs mich um.

Denn meine Seele sprach zu mir und warnte viel:

„Was willst du dorthin, Armer, wo dir Strafe droht?

Elender, säumst du? Doch erfährt es Kreon dann

Von einem Andern, würde dir's nicht schlimm ergeh'n?"
230

In solchem Grübeln ging ich langsam schnell voran,

Und also streckt sich lange hin der kurze Weg.

Doch siegt' am Ende der Entschluß, hieher zu geh'n,

Zu dir; und sag' ich dir auch Nichts, ich sag' es doch.

Denn an die Hoffnung klammr' ich unverrückt mich an,
235

Nichts könne sonst mich treffen, als bestimmtes Loos.

Kreon.

English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759)) — 194 focus

Antigone

Alas ! death cannot be

Far from that voice.

Spanish (A. G. Garbin, 1889) (OCR draft) Experimental (Spanish (A. G. Garbin, 1889)) — 194 focus

LOS COREUTAS

834 Empero ella cra una deidad y de dioses des- ccndiente; nosotros somos humanos y nacidos de mortales. Así, pues, será más gloriosa tu muerte; pues que tu destino es semejante al de los dioses.

German (F. Hölderlin, 1804) (OCR draft) Experimental (German (F. Hölderlin, 1804)) — 194 focus

CHOR

Der Leib auch Danaes mufste,

Statt himmlischen Lichts , in Gedult

Das eiserne Gitter haben.

Iın Dunkel lag sie

In der Todtenkammer, in Fesseln ;
985

Obgleich an Geschlechtadel, o Kind!

Sie zählete dem Vater der Zeit

Die Stundenschläge, die goldnen.

Aber des Schiksaals ist furchtbar die Kraft.

Der Reegen nicht, der Schlachtgeist
990

Und der Thurm nicht, und die meerumrauschten

Fliehn sie, die schwarzen Schiffe.

955

Und gehascht ward zornig behend Dryas Sohn,

Der Edenen König in begeistertem Schimpf

Von Dionysos, von den stürzenden
995

Steinhaufen gedeket,

Den Wahnsinn weint’ er so fast aus,

Und den blühenden Zorn. Und kennen lernt’ er,

Im Wahnsinn tastend, den Gott mit schimpfender Zunge.

Denn stoken macht’ er die Weiber
1000

Des Gottes voll, und das evische Feuer

Und die flötenliebenden

Reizt er, die Musen.

966

Bei himmelblauen Felsen aber, wo

An beiden Enden Meerist,
1005

Dort sind des Bosphoros Ufer

Und der Busen Salmidessos,

Der Thraziern gehöret; daselbst sah, nahe

Der Stadt, der Schlachtgeist zu, ‚als beiden

Phineiden ward die Wunde der Blindheit
1010

Vom wilden Weibe gestofsen ,

Und finster wars in den muthwillgen Augenzirkeln.

Veni Speeren Stiche. Unter

Blutigen Händen und Nadelspizen.

977

Und verschnıachtend, die Armen weinten
1015

Das arme Leiden der Mutter; sie hatten

Ehlosen Ursprung; jene aber war

Vom Saamen der altentsprungenen Erechtheiden.

In feruewandelnden Grotten

Ernährt ward sie, in Stürmen des Vaters, die Boreade
1020

Zu Rossen gesellt, auf gradem Hügel,

Der Götter Kind. Doch auch auf jener

Das grolse Schiksaal ruhte, Kind!

(Antigonä wird weggefihrt. ) Zweite Scene TIRESIAS KREON.

English (Sir Richard Jebb1, 1904) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Sir Richard Jebb1, 1904)) — 194 focus

Creon

I can cheer thee with no hope that this doom is not thus to be fulfilled.

English (Sir Richard Jebb2, 1904) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Sir Richard Jebb2, 1904)) — 162-330 focus

Enter Creon, with two attendants.

Creon

My fellow citizens! First, the gods, after tossing the fate of our city on wild waves, have once more righted it. Second, I have ordered you through my messengers to come here

apart from all the rest, because I knew, first of all, how constant was your reverence for the power of the throne of Laius; how, again, you were reverent, when Oedipus was guiding our city; and lastly, how, when he was dead, you still maintained loyal thoughts towards his children.
165

Since, then, these latter have fallen in one day by a twofold doom—each striking, each struck, both with the stain of a brother’s murder—I now possess all the power and the throne according to my kinship with the dead.
170

Now, it is impossible to know fully any man’s character, will, or judgment, until he has been proved by the test of rule and law-giving. For if anyone who directs the entire city does not cling to the best and wisest plans,
175

but because of some fear keeps his lips locked, then, in my judgment, he is and has long been the most cowardly traitor. And if any man thinks a friend more important than his fatherland, that man, I say, is of no account. Zeus, god who sees all things always, be my witness—
180

I would not be silent if I saw ruin, instead of safety, marching upon the citizens. Nor would I ever make a man who is hostile to my country a friend to myself, because I know this, that our country is the ship that bears us safe, and that only when
185

we sail her on a straight course can we make true friends. Such are the rules by which I strengthen this city. Akin to these is the edict which I have now published to the citizenry concerning the sons of Oedipus: Eteocles, who fell fighting
190

in behalf of our city and who excelled all in battle, they shall entomb and heap up every sacred offering that descends to the noblest of the dead below. But as for his brother, Polyneices, I mean, who on his return from exile wanted to burn to the ground
195

the city of his fathers and his race’s gods, and wanted to feed on kindred blood and lead the remnant into slavery—it has been proclaimed to the city that no one shall give him funeral honors or lamentation,
200

but all must leave him unburied and a sight of shame, with his body there for birds and dogs to eat. This is my will, and never will I allow the traitor to stand in honor before the just. But whoever has good will to Thebes ,
205

he shall be honored by me in death as in life.
210

211

Chorus

That is your will, Creon, towards this city’s enemy and its friend. And the power is yours, I believe, to make use of every law whatsoever, both concerning the dead and all us who live.

Creon

See, then, that you be guardians of my commands.
215

Chorus

Lay the weight of this task on some younger man.

Creon

That is not what I meant—the guards for the corpse are already in place.

Chorus

Then what is this other command that you would give?

Creon

That you not give way to the breakers of my commands.

Chorus

There is no one so foolish as to crave death.
220

Creon

I assure you, that is the wage for disobedience. Yet by just the hope of it, money has many times corrupted men.

Enter Guard.

Guard

My king, I will not say that I arrive breathless because of speed, or from the action of a swift foot.

For often I brought myself to a stop because of my thoughts, and wheeled round in my path to return. My mind was telling me many things: Fool, why do you go to where your arrival will mean your punishment? Idiot, are you dallying again? If Creon learns it from another, must you not suffer for it?
225

So debating, I made my way unhurriedly, slow, and thus a short road was made long. At last, however, the view prevailed that I should come here—to you. Even if my report brings no good, still will I tell you,
230

since I come with a good grip on one hope, that I can suffer nothing except what is my fate.
235

237

Creon

And what is it that so disheartens you?

Guard

I want to tell you first about myself—I did not do the deed, nor did I see the doer,

so it would be wrong that I should come to any harm.
240

Creon

Like a bowman you aim well at your target from a distance, and all around you hedge yourself off well from the deed. It is clear that you have some unheard-of thing to tell.

Guard

That I do, for terrible news imposes great hesitation.

Creon

Then tell it, will you, and so unburdened go away?

Guard

Well, here it is. The corpse—some one has just given it burial and disappeared after sprinkling thirsty dust on the flesh and performing the other rites that piety demands.
245

Creon

What are you saying? What man dared do this?

Guard

I do not know. For there was no scar of a pickax to be seen there,

no earth thrown up by a mattock. The ground was hard and dry, unbroken, not rolled over by wheels. The doer was someone who left no trace. When the first day-watchman showed it to us, a discomforting amazement fell on us all.
250

The dead man was veiled from us—not shut within a tomb, but a light cover of dust was on him, as if put there by the hand of one who shunned a curse. And no sign was visible that any beast of prey or any dog had approached or torn him. Then evil words flew thick and loud among us,
255

guard accusing guard. It would even have come to blows in the end, nor was there anyone there to prevent it: every man was the culprit, and no one was plainly guilty, while all disclaimed knowledge of the act. We were ready to take red-hot iron in our hands,
260

to walk through fire and to swear oaths by the gods that we had neither done the deed, nor shared knowledge of the planning or the doing. At last, when our investigating got us nowhere, someone spoke up and made us all bend our faces
265

in fear towards the earth. For we did not know how we could argue with him, nor yet prosper, if we did what he said. His argument was that the deed must be reported to you and not hidden. This view prevailed, and so it was that
270

the lot doomed miserable me to win this prize. So here I stand, as unwelcome to you as I am unwilling, I well know. For no man delights in the bearer of bad news.
275

278

Chorus

My king, my thoughts have long been deliberating whether this deed is somehow the work of gods?

Creon

Quiet, before your words truly fill me with rage, so that you not be found at the same time foolish as well as old. You say what is intolerable when you claim that the gods have concern for that corpse. Was it in high esteem for his benefactions
280

that they sought to hide him, when he had come to burn their columned shrines, their sacred treasures and their land, and scatter its laws to the winds? Or do you see the gods honoring the wicked? It cannot be. No! From the very first
285

certain men of the city were chafing at this edict and muttering against me, tossing their heads in secret, and they did not keep their necks duly under the yoke in submission to me. By those men, I am certain, they were led astray and bribed to do this deed.
290

Nothing so evil as money ever grew to be current among men. This destroys cities, this drives men from their homes, this trains and warps honest minds to set themselves to works of shame,
295

this teaches people to practise villainies, and to know every act of unholiness. But all the men who did this job for hire have made sure that, sooner or later, they shall suffer the punishment. Now, as Zeus still has my reverence, know this well—
300

I tell you on my oath. If you do not find the very hand that made this burial, and reveal him before my eyes, mere death shall not suffice for you, not before, hung up alive, you have made this outrage plain,
305

so that hereafter you may thieve with better knowledge of where your money should be received from, and learn that it is best not to be fond of money-making from any and every source. For you will find that ill-gotten gains bring more men to ruin than to safety.
310

315

Guard

Will you allow me to speak? Or shall I just turn and go?
315

Creon

Do you not know even now how much your voice sickens me?

Guard

Is the pain in your ears, or in your soul?

Creon

And why would you define the seat of my pain?

Guard

He who did it hurts your heart, but I, your ears.

Creon

God! How plain it is that you are a born babbler.
320

Guard

Perhaps, but never the author of this action.

Creon

Yes, and what is more, you sold your life for silver.

Guard

Ah! It is truly sad when the judge judges wrong .

Creon

Expound on judgment as you will. But, if you fail to

show me the perpetrators of these crimes, you will avow that money basely earned wreaks sorrows. Exit Creon.
325

Guard

Well, may the man be found! That would be best. But, whether he be caught or not—for fortune must decide that—I assure you that you will not see me come here again.

Saved just now beyond hope and belief, I owe the gods great thanks. Exit the Guard.
330

Commentary

Commentary (R. C. Jebb) (OCR draft) (Commentary (R. C. Jebb))

mvp-comment-486-1 παγκοίτας ¹ πάγκοινος ²

mvp-comment-487-1 ἄγει … ἀκτάν ³

mvp-comment-488-1 οὔθ’ ὑμεναίων … οὔτ’ ἐπινύμφειος … ὕμνος ⁴

mvp-comment-488-2 οὔτε … ἔγκληρον, … οὔτε … ὕμνησεν ⁶

mvp-comment-488-3 ἐπινύμφειος ⁷ ἐπινυμφίδιος ⁸ ἐπὶ νυμφείοις ⁹ ἐπινυμφίδιος ¹⁰

mvp-comment-489-1 Ἀχέροντι νυμφεύσω ¹¹

mvp-comment-490-1 ξιφέων ¹² ἐπίχειρα ¹³

mvp-comment-491-1 αὐτόνομος ¹⁴

mvp-comment-491-2 δή ¹⁵ μόνη ¹⁶ Ἀΐδην ¹⁷ Ἅιδην ¹⁸

mvp-comment-492-1 ἤκουσα δή ¹⁹

mvp-comment-492-2 λυγροτάταν ²⁰

mvp-comment-492-3 ξέναν ²¹

mvp-comment-493-1 Ταντάλου ²²

mvp-comment-493-2 Σιπύλῳ ²³

mvp-comment-494-1 ἀτενής ²⁴

mvp-comment-494-2 πετραία βλάστα δάμασεν ²⁵ αι^ ²⁶

mvp-comment-495-1 καί νιν ὄμρροι ²⁷ τέγγει δ’ ²⁸ ὄμβρῳ ²⁹ τακομέναν ³⁰ τέγγει … δειράδας ³¹ ὄμβροι ³² ὄμβρῳ ³³

mvp-comment-495-2 χιών ³⁴

mvp-comment-495-3 οὐδαμά ³⁵

mvp-comment-496-1 τέγγει δ’ ὑπ’ ὀφρύσι … δειράδας ³⁶

mvp-comment-496-2 The Niobe of Sipylus has usually been identified with a colossal rock-image on the N. side of the range. It is rudely carved in relief, within a rectangular niche on the face of a limestone cliff, and represents a woman seated on a throne. (See Stark, Niobe, pl. 1, Leips. 1863: cp. Baumeister, Denkm. p. 1029). Prof. W. M. Ramsay, however, holds that this image is the ‘very ancient’

ἄγαλμα

of Cybele mentioned by Paus. 3.22.4 . In two respects it differs from the ancient accounts of the Niobe (quoted below): ( a) it does not ‘weep,’—for the rainwater drops from the front of the niche, clear of the figure; and ( b) the likeness to a human form grows, instead of vanishing, as one approaches. ( Journ. Hellen. Studies III. 61 ff., 1882.) This has been confirmed by another traveller, Herr Schweisthal (as reported in the Berl. Phil. Wochenschr., May 28, 1887, p. 704). He finds the true Niobe at no great distance from the Cybele, but nearer Magnesia, and in the vicinity of a stream (the Jarikkaia) which Humann, in his ‘Excursion into Sipylus’ (1881), had already identified with the Achelous of Il. 24.616 . It is a natural phenomenon,—the semblance—as seen from a distance—of a draped woman, seated high on the rocks; she looks towards the right, and lifts her right arm, as if in lament.

mvp-comment-496-3 The best ancient description is by a poet whose native place was in that neighbourhood,—Quintus Smyrnaeus (1. 293— 306):—‘Her streaming tears still fall from the heights of the rugged cliff; and in sympathy with her the sounding waters of the Hermus make lament, and the lofty peaks of Sipylus, over which the mist that shepherds dread floats evermore. A great marvel is she to passers by, because she is like a sorrowful woman, who mourns some cruel grief, and weeps without stint. Such verily seems the figure, when thou gazest at it from afar; but when thou drawest near, lo, 'tis but a sheer rock, a cliff of Sipylus’ (

φαίνεται αἰπήεσσα πέτρη, Σιπύλοιό τ’ ἀπορρώξ

).

mvp-comment-496-4 Nonnus was thinking of the effect from the road, when he wrote (2. 160),

ἕσσομαι ὡς Νιόβη καὶ ἐγὼ λίθος, ὄφρα καὶ αὐτὴν | λαϊνέην στενάχουσαν ἐποικτείρωσιν ὁδῖται

. Pausanias, too, says that, at a certain distance from the cliff,

δεδακρυμένην δόξεις ὁρᾶν καὶ κατηφῆ γυναῖκα

, but that the illusion vanishes on a nearer approach (1. 21 § 3).

mvp-comment-497-1 ὁμοιοτάταν ³⁷

mvp-comment-498-1 ἀλλὰ … θανοῦσαν ³⁸ καίτοι ³⁹ ζῶσαν ⁴⁰ θανοῦσαν ⁴¹ οἴμοι γελῶμαι ⁴²

mvp-comment-498-2 θεός ⁴³

mvp-comment-498-3 θεογεννής ⁴⁴ θειογενής ⁴⁵

mvp-comment-499-1 καίτοι ⁴⁶ φθιμένῃ ⁴⁷

mvp-comment-499-2 κἀκοῦσαι ⁴⁸ μέγ’ ἀκοῦσαι ⁴⁹

mvp-comment-500-1 τοῖς ἰσοθέοις σύγκληρα ⁵⁰ ἔγκληρα ⁵¹

mvp-comment-500-2 Hipp. 1011 : or (2) pass., included in one's

κλῆρος

, as H. F. 468

ἔγκληρα πεδία ...κεκτημένος

(‘by inheritance’). Here,

ἔγκληρα

was perh. partly due to a reminiscence of

ἔγκληρον

in 814.—The change of τοῖς ἰσοθέοις ⁵² τοῖσι θεοῖσιν ⁵³ ι— ⁵⁴ α— ⁵⁵ τοῖς ἰσοθέοις ἔγκληρα ⁵⁶

mvp-comment-501-1 ζῶσαν … θανοῦσαν ⁵⁷

mvp-comment-502-1 γελῶμαι ⁵⁸

Commentary (Lewis Campbell, 1879) (OCR draft) (Commentary (Lewis Campbell, 1879)) focus

808. mvp-comment-470-1 νέατον is an adjective. See on Ο. Τ. 155.

810. mvp-comment-471-1 κοὔποτ᾽ αὖθις Sc. ὄψομαι φέγγος ἀελίου.

810. mvp-comment-471-2 παγκοίτας is here active='That seals up all in rest.' Essay on Language pp. 98, 101. The metre suggests πάγκοιτος, cp. infr. 828, the corresponding line of the antistrophe.

812-813. mvp-comment-472-1 Ἀχέροντος ἀκτάν Hom. Od. 10. 509, ἔνθ᾽ ἀκτή τε λάχεια: ib. 513, ἔνθα μὲν εἰς Ἀχέροντα πυριφλεγέθων τε ῥέουσι, κ.τ.λ.

815. mvp-comment-473-1 *ἐπινύμφειος, which Dindorf has restored for ἐπινυμφίδιος, is more probable than ἐπὶ νυμφείοις, although this appears to be supported by the note of the Scholiast, λείπει θύραις ἢ κοίταις.

816. mvp-comment-474-1 Ἀχέροντι As other maidens have been wedded to rivers upon the earth.

820. mvp-comment-475-1 ξιφέων ἐπίχειρα The wages of the sword; i.e. Death given by the sword.

821. mvp-comment-476-1 αὐτόνομος The Scholiast explains this, ἰδίοις αὐτῆς νόμοις χρησαμένη. This is not free from ambiguity; but the true meaning is rather By an ordinance peculiar to your case (ἰδίᾳ τινὶ σεαυτῆς νόμῳ), than In your independence of law, or As being a law to yourself. The chorus nowhere speak with admiration of the independent attitude of Antigone, although they secretly sympathize with her pious motive. The word is used with consciousness of the derivation. The νόμος which is peculiar to Antigone is the privilege of a living death.

823. mvp-comment-477-1 λυγροτάταν In sorriest plight. Supplementary predicate.

824-825. mvp-comment-478-1 τὰν Φρυγίαν ξέναν Ταντάλου] Our friend far off in Phrygia, Tantalus' daughter.' Sipylus was placed by some in Phrygia, by others in Lydia. (Strabo, 12. p. 571.) Donaldson well remarks that févar is applied to Niobe, because she married Amphion, king of Thebes.

828. mvp-comment-479-1 ὄμβρῳ τακομέναν The conjectural emendation ὄμβροι has been very generally received. But the Highlands of Phrygia are not subject to perpetual showers. It is more natural to think of a snow-capped peak ever running down with moisture from the melting snow. On the general sense thus given to ὄμβρος, see Essay on Language § 52. p. 98. And as she flows down with moisture, the snow leaves her not, but still she wets the ridges of her neck beneath her tearful brow. The position of T' need cause no difficulty. Essay on Language pp. 65,6. It has been observed that the words ὀφρύς and δειράς are equally applicable to a mountain and to a human being. The subj. of τέγγει is not χιών but ὁ Νιόβα.

834. mvp-comment-480-1 It is doubtful whether θειογενής οι θεογεννής (= θεογέννητος) should be read for the unmetrical θεογενής.

836. mvp-comment-481-1 Of the two readings, φθιμένα and φθιμένῳ, both of which are given by L, and were known to the Scholiast, the feminine is more likely to be due to a corrector.

837. mvp-comment-482-1 The words ζῶσαν καὶ ἔπειτα θανοῦσαν have little point, and being omitted by Aldus (as in A), have never been restored except by Seyffert, who reads μέγα κἀκοῦσαι in l. 836. Those who omit 837, invert the preceding lines for the sake of the paroemiac, and read καίτοι φθιμένῳ τοῖς ἰσοθέοις | ἔγκληρα λαχεῖν μέγ᾽ ἀκοῦσαι. For ἀκοῦσαι, to have said of one, cp. Phil. 1074, ἀκούσομαι μὲν ὡς ἔφυν οἴκτου πλέως.