Sophocles Antigone 262

ed. August Boeckh

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

View: By Card By Card

← Previous Next →

KREON.
Str. 1.

O weh!

1261

O sinnloser Sinne todschwangere
1205

Verirrungen ach! schauet Mord, schauet Tod,

verübt am Geschlecht des selbsteignen Stamms!

weh mir, meines Rathes Unseligkeit!

O Sohn, jung entriſs ein jung Todesloos,

ach ach, ach ach,
1210

dich durch meines Raths und nicht durch des deinen Unglücksbeschluſs.

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)) — 262 focus

κοὐδεὶς ἐναργὴς, ἀλλ᾽ ἔφυγε τὸ μὴ εἰδέναι ¹.

Greek (A. Boeckh, 1884) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (A. Boeckh, 1884)) — 262 focus

τὸ μήτε δρᾶσαι, μήτε τῳ ξυνειδέναι

Greek (F. H. Bothe, 1806) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (F. H. Bothe, 1806)) — 262 focus

ἦμεν δ᾽ ἕτοιμοι καὶ μύδρους αἴρειν χεροῖν,

Greek (Lewis Campbell, 1879) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (Lewis Campbell, 1879)) — 262 focus

εἷς γάρ τις ἦν ἕκαστος οὑξειργασμένος,

Greek (A. Colonna, 1978) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (A. Colonna, 1978)) — 262 focus

εἷς γάρ τις ἦν ἕκαστος οὑξειργασμένος,

Greek (A. Dain, 1955) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (A. Dain, 1955)) — 262.mvp-line-262 focus

εἷς γάρ τις ἦν ἕκαστος οὑξειργασμένος,

Greek (R. D. Dawe, 1979) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (R. D. Dawe, 1979)) — 262 focus

εἷς γάρ τις ἦν ἕκαστος οὑξειργασμένος,

Greek (G. Hermann, 1830) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (G. Hermann, 1830)) — 262 focus

εἷς γάρ τις ἦν ἕκαστος οὑξειργασμένος,

Greek (R. C. Jebb, 1906) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (R. C. Jebb, 1906)) — 262 focus

εἷς γάρ τις ἦν ἕκαστος οὑξειργασμένος,

Greek (A. C. Pearson, 1924) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (A. C. Pearson, 1924)) — 262.mvp-line-262 focus

εἷς γάρ τις ἦν ἕκαστος οὑξειργασμένος,

Antigone (OCR draft) Experimental (Antigone) — 262 focus

εἷς γάρ τις ἦν ἕκαστος οὑξειργασμένος,

Greek (K. Reinhardt, 1949) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (K. Reinhardt, 1949)) — 262 focus

εἷς γάρ τις ἦν ἕκαστος οὑξειργασμένος,

Translations (9)

Spanish (J. A. Bolufer, 1921) (OCR draft) Experimental (Spanish (J. A. Bolufer, 1921)) — 262 focus

CREONTE

1294 ¡Ay de mí! ¡Esta es otra nueva desgracia que veo! ¡Infeliz de mí! ¿Qué otra, pues, qué otra fatalidad me espera? Tengo en brazos a mi hijo, que acaba de morir, y veo enfrente otro cadáver. ¡Infeliz de mí! ¡Ay, ay, madre desdichada! ¡Ay, hijo!

Latin (F. H. Bothe, 1806) (OCR draft) Experimental (Latin (F. H. Bothe, 1806)) — 262 focus

Verna

Haec furore percita, arae circumvoluta , solvit tenebris offusos oculos; postquam deflevit Megarei quidem prius defuncti inclytam sortem , deinde et huius, postremo autem tibi dira imprecata est, natorum homicidae.

English (Lewis Campbell, 1906) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Lewis Campbell, 1906)) — 262 focus

CR

Tell us, how ended she her life in blood?

German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review) (OCR draft) Experimental (German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review)) — 278 focus

Schon lang, o König, überlegt mein Inneres,

Ob eine Gottheit diese That nicht angeregt.

Kreon.

Schweig', eh mich deine Rede gar mit Zorn erfüllt,
280

Daß du, der Alte, nicht zugleich als Thor erscheinst.

Denn unerträglich ist es, daß du sagen magst,

Die Götter trügen Sorge für den Todten dort.

Sie hätten, wie zu schöner That Verherrlichung,

Den Mann begraben, der mit Brand zu tilgen kam
285

Die säulumringten Tempel und der Gaben Schmuck,

Und ihre Fluren, ihr Gesez zu stürzen sann?

Wann sahst du Frevler je geehrt durch Götterhuld?

Nie wahrlich, nie! Doch lange murrten schon darum,

Ungern gehorsam, wider mich die Bürger hier,
290

Geheim die Häupter schüttelnd; ja, sie hielten nicht

Pflichttreu den Nacken unter'm Joch, wie's mir genügt.

Von ihnen wurden jene, sicher weiß ich das,

Durch Lohn verleitet und verübten diese That.

Denn wahrlich, nichts von Allem, was bei Menschen gilt,
295

Ist, wie das Geld, verderblich: dies mag Städte selbst

Zerstören, dies treibt Männer aus von Hof und Herd;

Dies unterweiset und verkehrt den edlen Sinn

Rechtschaff'ner Männer, nachzugeh'n ruchloser That,

Zeigt an die Wege böser List den Sterblichen,
300

Und bildet sie zu jedem gottverhaßten Werk.

Doch die für Lohn gedungen diese That vollbracht,

Erwirkten sich's nun endlich, daß sie Strafe trifft.

Ia, wenn noch irgend Ehre Zeus von mir empfängt,

So sei versichert, und mein Schwur betheur' es dir:
305

Wofern ihr nicht den Frevler, der den Todten dort

Bestattet, aufspürt und mir hier vor Augen stellt,

Genügt es nicht an eurem Tode nur, ihr sollt

Am Kreuze hängen, bis ihr offenbart die Schmach,

Auf daß ihr, wissend, wo Gewinn zu suchen sei,
310

Ihn künftig dort erhaschet und begreifen lernt,

Daß nicht in Allem nach Gewinn zu spähen frommt.

Denn mit dem Preis des Schlechten wirst du Mehrere

Unglücklich enden, als das Glück gewinnen seh'n.

Der Wächter.

English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759)) — 262 focus

Creon
1306

O me ! another blow !

What now remains ? What can I suffer more.

Thus bearing in these arms my breathless son ?

My wife too dead ! O most unhappy mother !
1310

And oh ! thou wretched child !

Spanish (A. G. Garbin, 1889) (OCR draft) Experimental (Spanish (A. G. Garbin, 1889)) — 262 focus

EL MENSAJERO

Yo mismo, cara reina, he sido de cllo testigo, y hablaré sin ocultar nada de la verdad; puos ¿de qué serviria el mitigarla, cuando después tendría que descubrirse nuestro engaño? La verdad es siempre nuestro recto camino.— Yo seguía á tu esposo, guiándole hacia la extremidad de la llanura, donde yacía aún despiadadamente entregado á la voracidad de los perros, el cadáver de Polynice. Una vez allí, eleyvamos nuestras preces á la Trivia Diosa y á Plutón, demandándole que depusiesen su enojo y nos fuesen propicios; rociamos sobre el difunto el agua lustral; reunimos ramas recien cortadas; entregamos á la combustión aquellos restos, y lc crigimos una excelsa sepultura con tierra de la patria. Desde alli nos encaminamos seguidamente hacia la caverna donde la mísera doneella eneontró el tálamo nupcial de la Muerte. Aún nos hallábamos lejos, euando uno de nosotros oyó elaramente unos gritos que salian del fondo de aquella tumba privada de los honores fúnebres, y eorrió á anunciárselo al rey. Aproximóse Creonte, y no tardó en oir el sonido confuso de un elamor gemebundo, y exhalando un suspiro, dijo: «¡Ay, míisero de mil ¿Debo creer en mis pensamientos? ¿Es un eamino funestisimo el que sigo en estos instantes? La voz de mi hijo ha vibrado en mis oídos. Corred, volad, siervos hacia la tumba de Antígona, quitad el montón de piedras que eierra lá entrada, y examinad eon vuestros ojos en la eaverna si es realmente de Hemón la voz que estoy oyendo, ó si me veo engañado por los dioses.»

1219 Hicimos la exploración, según las órdenes de nuestro señor, y en lo profundo de aquel antro vimos ¡horror! á la doneella suspendida por el euello a un lazo fatal tegido con los hilos de su velo; y al lado de ella al otro que la estreehuba entre sus brazos, deplorando la muerte de su esposa, las obras de su padre, y sus mupeias infortunadas. Al verle, éste exhaló un profundo suspiro y penetrando en lo interior, se arrojó hacia él, gritando dolorosamente: «¿Qué has hecho, desgraciado? ¿Qué pretendes ejecutar ahora? ¿Por qué te precipitas á tu perdición? Sal de aquí, hijo mio; te lo pido suplicándotelo.» Su hijo le lanzó una furiosa mirada, y rechazándole eon desdén y sin responder palabra, desenvainó su espada de dos filos, Creonte se retiró y evitó el golpe; entonces el infeliz, irritado contra sí mismo, la elavó en el fondo de su pecho; y, dueño aún de sus sentidos, cogió á Antigona en sus brazos desfallecientes; luego exhaló un último violento suspiro, desaparociendo toda la sangre de sus pálidas megillas¹. De tal manera quedó sin vida al lado de la difunta, habiendo encontrado su infortunado himeneo en la mansión de Plutón. Triste ejemplo que enseña á los hombres, ser la temeridad el más funesto de todos los males.— La Reina, despues de escuchar el relato, se relira sin pronunciar palabra.

German (F. Hölderlin, 1804) (OCR draft) Experimental (German (F. Hölderlin, 1804)) — 262 focus

KREON

Was Art in Mord ward aber jen’ entbunden ?

English (Sir Richard Jebb1, 1904) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Sir Richard Jebb1, 1904)) — 262 focus

Creon

1306 Woe, woe! I thrill with dread. Is there none to strike me to the heart with two-edged sword ?—O 1310 miserable that I am, and steeped in miserable anguish!

English (Sir Richard Jebb2, 1904) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Sir Richard Jebb2, 1904)) — 332-380 focus

Chorus

Wonders are many, and none is more wonderful than man.

This power spans the sea, even when it surges white before the gales of the south-wind, and makes a path under swells that threaten to engulf him. Earth, too, the eldest of the gods, the immortal, the unwearied,
335

he wears away to his own ends, turning the soil with the offspring of horses as the plows weave to and fro year after year.
340

343

Chorus

The light-hearted tribe of birds

and the clans of wild beasts and the sea-brood of the deep he snares in the meshes of his twisted nets, and he leads them captive, very-skilled man. He masters by his arts
345

the beast who dwells in the wilds and roams the hills. He tames the shaggy-maned horse, putting the yoke upon its neck, and tames the tireless mountain bull.
350

354

Chorus

Speech and thought fast as the wind and the moods that give order to a city he has taught himself, and how to flee the arrows of the inhospitable frost under clear skies and the arrows of the storming rain.

He has resource for everything. Lacking resource in nothing he strides towards what must come. From Death alone he shall procure no escape, but from baffling diseases he has devised flights.
360

365

Chorus

Possessing resourceful skill, a subtlety beyond expectation he moves now to evil, now to good. When he honors the laws of the land and the justice of the gods to which he is bound by oath,
365

his city prospers. But banned from his city is he who, thanks to his rashness, couples with disgrace. Never may he share my home,
370

never think my thoughts, who does these things!
375

376

Enter the Guard, on the spectators’ left, leading in Antigone.

Chorus

What marvel sent by the gods is this?—I am bewildered! I know her. How can I deny that this girl is Antigone? O unhappy child

of your unhappy father, of Oedipus! What can this mean? What! Surely they are not bringing you captive for disobeying the King’s laws and being caught in lunacy?
380

Commentary

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

mvp-comment-727-1 αὖθις ¹

mvp-comment-727-2 For

αὖθις

as=‘afterwards,’ cp. Ai. 1283 , Tr. 270 .

mvp-comment-727-3 λιθόστρωτον ²

mvp-comment-727-4 κόρης νυμφεῖον‐Ἅιδου ³

mvp-comment-728-1 κωκυμάτων ⁴

mvp-comment-729-1 ἀκτέριστον ἀμφὶ παστάδα ⁵

mvp-comment-730-1 ἀθλίας … ἄσημα βοῆς ⁶

mvp-comment-730-2 περιβαίνει ⁷

mvp-comment-731-1 μᾶλλον ἆσσον ⁸

mvp-comment-731-2 ἔπος ⁹ δυσθρήνητον ¹⁰

mvp-comment-731-3 ὦ τάλας ¹¹

mvp-comment-732-1 τῶν παρελθουσῶν ¹²

mvp-comment-732-2 σαίνει ¹³

mvp-comment-733-1 ὠκεῖς ¹⁴

mvp-comment-734-1 ἁρμὸν χώματος λιθοσπ. ¹⁵

mvp-comment-734-2 ἁρμόν ¹⁶ δύντες ¹⁷

mvp-comment-735-1 στόμιον ¹⁸

mvp-comment-735-2 The kind of tomb which the poet here imagines is perhaps best represented, in Greece, by the rock-tombs of Nauplia, and of Spata in Attica. These consist of chambers worked horizontally into the rock, and approached by a passage or

δρόμος

, answering to that which Creon's men have to traverse before they reach the

στόμιον

of the tomb. The general type seems to have been determined by that of the more elaborate domed tombs, such as the so-called ‘Treasury of Atreus’ at Mycenae, which, like these ruder copies, were entered by a

δρόμος

. Indeed, the Nauplia tombs indicate a rough attempt to reproduce the dome (

θόλος

). [See Helbig, Das Homer. Epos aus den Denkm. erläutert, p. 53, with the sources quoted there in nn. 5, 6.]

mvp-comment-735-3 The phrase

λοίσθιον τύμβευμα

(1220) might suggest a recess within the principal chamber, like that in the ‘Treasury of Atreus’; but it is simpler to take it as merely ‘the furthest part of the tomb.’ We may observe that the words

κατῶρυξ

(774) and

κατασκαφής

(891) are sufficiently explained if we suppose that the

δρόμος

leading to the chamber sloped downwards from the entrance.

mvp-comment-736-1 θεοῖσι ¹⁹

mvp-comment-736-2 κλέπτομαι ²⁰

mvp-comment-737-1 The simple correction, κελευσμάτων ²¹

mvp-comment-737-2 With κελεύσμασιν ²²

mvp-comment-737-3 (2) The alternative is to amend ἐξ ἀθύμου ²³ ὀξυθύμου ²⁴

mvp-comment-737-4 Dindorf writes κελεύμασιν ²⁵

mvp-comment-738-1 αὐχένος ²⁶

mvp-comment-739-1 μιτώδει ²⁷

mvp-comment-740-1 Haemon has thrown his arms around her waist ( ἀμφὶ μέσσῃ περιπετῆ ²⁸ προσκείμενον ²⁹

mvp-comment-740-2 μέσσῃ ³⁰

mvp-comment-740-3 περιπετῆ ³¹

mvp-comment-741-1 εὐνῆς … τῆς κάτω ³²

mvp-comment-741-2 πατρὸς ἔργα ³³

mvp-comment-741-3 λέχος ³⁴

mvp-comment-742-1 σφε ³⁵

mvp-comment-742-2 στυγνόν ³⁶

mvp-comment-743-1 οἷον ἔργον ³⁷ τίνα νοῦν ἔσχες ³⁸

mvp-comment-743-2 ἐν τῷ συμφορᾶς ³⁹

mvp-comment-743-3 διεφθάρης ⁴⁰

mvp-comment-744-1 ἱκέσιος ⁴¹

mvp-comment-744-2 ὄσσοισι ⁴²

mvp-comment-744-3 παπτήνας ⁴³

mvp-comment-745-1 πτύσας προσώπῳ ⁴⁴

mvp-comment-746-1 διπλοῦς κνώδοντας ξίφους ⁴⁵ διπλοῦς κνώδοντας ⁴⁶

mvp-comment-746-2 ἐκ δ’ ὁρμ. ⁴⁷

mvp-comment-746-3 φυγαῖσιν ⁴⁸

mvp-comment-746-4 Haemon, in his madness, meant to kill his father. He had harboured no such purpose before ( see on 752

); and his frantic impulse is instantly followed by violent remorse. Arist. ( Arist. Poet. 14 ) observes that it is not conducive to a properly tragic effect (

οὐ τραγικόν, ἀπαθές

) if a person contemplates a dreadful act, and then desists from it, in the light of sober thought or fuller knowledge:

διόπερ οὐδεὶς ποιεῖ ὁμοίως εἰ μὴ ὀλιγάκις

(such incidents in Tragedy are rare),

οἷον ἐν Ἀντιγόνῃ Κρέοντα ὁ Αἵμων

. It need not be assumed that Arist. meant to censure Sophocles; it is more natural to suppose that he cited the exception as one justified by the circumstances. But it should further be noticed that Aristotle was not accurate in taking this incident as the exception which illustrated his rule. For Haemon did not abandon his dreadful purpose; he was simply foiled by his father's flight. And then, in swift remorse, he actually did

τῶν ἀνηκέστων τι

.

mvp-comment-747-1 ὥσπερ εἶχ’ ⁴⁹ ἐπενταθείς ⁵⁰

mvp-comment-747-2 πλευραῖς ⁵¹

mvp-comment-747-3 μέσσον ⁵²

mvp-comment-747-4 ἔγχος ⁵³

mvp-comment-747-5 ἐς δ’ ὑγρὸν ἀγκῶν’ ⁵⁴

mvp-comment-748-1 φυσιῶν ⁵⁵

mvp-comment-748-2 ῥοὴν ⁵⁶

mvp-comment-749-1 τέλη ⁵⁷

mvp-comment-749-2 ἔν γ’ Ἅιδου ⁵⁸ ἔν γ ⁵⁹ γε ⁶⁰ ἔν γε ⁶¹

mvp-comment-750-1 δείξας … τὴν ἀβουλίαν ⁶²

mvp-comment-751-1 πρόσκειται ⁶³

mvp-comment-752-1 τί τοῦτ’ ἂν εἰκάς. ⁶⁴

mvp-comment-752-2 ἐσθλὸν ἢ κακόν ⁶⁵

mvp-comment-753-1 τεθάμβηκ’ ⁶⁶

mvp-comment-753-2 βόσκομαι ⁶⁷

mvp-comment-754-1 γόους … ἀξιώσειν ⁶⁸

mvp-comment-754-2 ὑπὸ στέγης ⁶⁹

mvp-comment-755-1 προθήσειν ⁷⁰ στένειν ⁷¹

mvp-comment-755-2 them’ by making a lament, after which her handmaids, sitting around her, will wail in chorus. Il. 24.746 (Andromache has bewailed Hector,)

ὡς ἔφατο κλαίουσ’· ἐπὶ δὲ στενάχοντο γυναῖκες. | τῇσιν δ’ αὖθ’ Ἑκάβη ἀδινοῦ ἐξῆρχε γόοιο

.

mvp-comment-756-1 γνώμης … οὐκ ἄπειρος ⁷²

mvp-comment-757-1 δ’ οὖν ⁷³ προσεῖναι ⁷⁴

mvp-comment-758-1 εἰσόμεσθα, μή τι … καλύπτει ⁷⁵

mvp-comment-758-2 καὶ ⁷⁶ κατάσχετον … καλύπτει ⁷⁷

mvp-comment-758-3 κατάσχετον ⁷⁸

mvp-comment-759-1 δόμους παραστείχοντες ⁷⁹

mvp-comment-760-1 καὶ μήν ⁸⁰

mvp-comment-760-2 ἐφήκει ⁸¹

mvp-comment-761-1 μνῆμ ⁸² ἐπίσημον ⁸³

mvp-comment-761-2 διὰ χειρός ⁸⁴

mvp-comment-762-1 εἰ θέμις εἰπεῖν ⁸⁵ ἄτην ⁸⁶ ἀλλοτρίαν ⁸⁷

mvp-comment-762-2 ἁμαρτών ⁸⁸

mvp-comment-763-1 This

κομμός

is composed of four strophes and four antistrophes, which correspond as follows. (1) 1st strophe 1261—1269=1st antistr. 1284—1292. (2) 2nd str. 1271—1277 =2nd ant. 1294—1300. (3) 3rd str. 1306—1311=3rd ant. 1328—1333. (4) 4th str. 1317—1325=4th ant. 1339— 1347.

mvp-comment-763-2 The lyric strophes and antistrophes are divided from each other by iambic trimeters, spoken by the Chorus or by the Messenger.—See Metrical Analysis.

mvp-comment-763-3 φρενῶν δυσφρόνων ⁸⁹

mvp-comment-763-4 στερεά ⁹⁰

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

1207. mvp-comment-683-1 ἀκτέριστον.. παστάδα The unhallowed vault. Lit. The narrow cell, not consecrated by funeral rites.'

1209. mvp-comment-684-1 τῷ δ᾽. ἆσσον And as he came nearer, an undistinguishable crying filled his ears. See Essay on Language § 10. p. 17, and for περιβαίνει, cp. Hom. Od. 6. 122, ἀμφήλυθε θήλυς ἀϋτή.

1210. mvp-comment-685-1 In the phrase άσσον ἕρπειν, To draw near, ἆσσον, which was a rare word in Attic, lost something of the comparative meaning. Hence the double comparative.

1211. mvp-comment-686-1 δυσθρήνητον Lamentable. For the apparently active use of the verbal, see Essay on Language p. 98.

1212. mvp-comment-687-1 ἆρ᾽ εἰμὶ μάντις; 'Are my heart's forebodings true?' i.e. Must I believe what my heart is telling me?

1213. mvp-comment-688-1 τῶν παρελθουσῶν ὁδῶν Cp. О. С. 1397.

1214. mvp-comment-689-1 σαίνει It has been supposed that this word reverts to its original meaning as a derivative of σείω, being used actively in the sense of To thrill.' But it is more in accordance with analogy to suppose that it has passed through the following changes of meaning: (1) to move frequently: (2) to wag the tail; σαίνειν οὔρῃ: (3) to make signs of recognition, to greet: (4) to touch with a feeling of recognition. See Essay on Language p. 99 (ὄμμα).

1216. mvp-comment-690-1 In preparing the vault, an opening had been left, through which the victim was thrust into the chamber. This opening was then roughly closed with stones. (1) Through these Haemon had passionately torn his way. And the cleft so made by him is the ἁρμὸς χώματος λιθοσπαδής. Entering within the closure from which the stones have been torn, even to the very mouth of the vault. Or (2), supposing a prolepsis, Pulling out the stones and entering.

1219. mvp-comment-691-1 ἐξ ἀθύμου δεσπότου κελεύσμασιν On hearing our despairing lord and at his bidding. Cp. supr. l. 957. Haemon, on rushing in, had found Antigone already dead by her own act.

1222. mvp-comment-692-1 καθημμένην Fastened, sc. to the roof. Those who read καθειμένην must have understood it to mean let down, i.e. suspended. The muslin noose of fine tissue is the maiden's veil, the βύσσινον πέπλωμα of Aesch. S. c. T. 1039.

1225. mvp-comment-693-1 Lamenting the ruin of his bridal, that was only to be found in death (τῆς κάτω).' λέχος] Bride.

1228. mvp-comment-694-1 τίνα νοῦν ἔσχες What design possessed you?

1229. mvp-comment-695-1 ἐν τῷ.. διεφθάρης At what point of calamity did you go mad? Cp. Hom. Il. 15. 128, μαινόμενε, φρένας ἠλέ, διέφθορας: Eur. Hell. 1192, λύπῃ σὰς διέφθαρσαι φρένας;

1231. mvp-comment-696-1 τόν is governed by πτύσας ('Abhorring,' i.e. expressing abhorrence of, cp. 1. 653) as well as by παπτήνας, ='Glaring wildly upon.' 1232. It is not clear whether Aristotle means to find fault with this when he says that Knowingly to intend evil, and not perform it, is at once abominable and without tragic interest;' διόπερ οὐδεὶς ποιεῖ ὁμοίως, εἰ μὴ ὀλιγάκις, οἷον ἐν Ἀντιγόνῃ τὸν Κρέοντα ὁ Αἵμων, Poet. 1453 b. But he clearly had not anticipated the refinement of the Scholiast and some modern critics, who think that Haemon only meditated suicide, and that his action is misunderstood by the messenger who reports the circumstance. Cp. supr. 751.

1231. mvp-comment-696-2 ξίφους Seyffert thinks that the Laurentian reading points to βέλους with ξίφους as a gloss. But although the generic word is used in Aj. 658, τόδ' ἔγχος τοὐμόν, ἔχθιστον βελῶν, it would be out of place here.

1233. mvp-comment-697-1 ξίφους διπλοῦς κνώδοντας Probably, the double-hilted sword.

1235. mvp-comment-698-1 ἐπενταθείς 'Stretching himself over it, i. e. Falling upon his sword.

1236-1237. mvp-comment-699-1 He clung to the maiden, enfolding her in his slackening arm. The construction of ἐς .. ἀγκῶνα is as if λαμβάνει, or some such verb, were to follow. 6

1236. mvp-comment-700-1 ἤρεισε.. μέσσον Drove the blade right into his side. See on O. C. 1595. Essay on Language § 51. p. 85.

1238. mvp-comment-701-1 πνοήν, which the Scholiast read, is at once a harder reading than ῥοήν, and harmonizes better with the context. And panting hard, he cast on her pale cheek sharp breath of gory dew.' Cp. Aesch. Ag. 1388: Essay on Language § 10. p. 17.

1241. mvp-comment-702-1 εἰν ῞Αιδου δόμοις The particle γε, which Heath introduced, reading ἔν γ', is defended by Seyffert: Apud inferos saltem, inquit poeta, nactus est Haemon nuptias rite confectas, quarum vivus expers fuit: in complexu tenet mortuam mortuus (v. 1235, sq.). But iv, the reading of L², is supported by the other Epic forms which occur in the play. See Introd., and cp. the Homeric καὶ εἰν Ἀίδαο δόμοισι.

1244-1245. mvp-comment-703-1 Cp. the silent exit of Jocasta, O. T. 1075, and of Deianira, Tr. 813.

1247. mvp-comment-704-1 ἐς πόλιν γόους | οὐκ ἀξιώσειν She will not deign to make public lamentation. The ellipse of ποιεῖν or some other general word (cp. 1. 577), or the imperfect construction of γύους with ἀξιώσειν, is made more easy by the introduction of στένειν in what follows.

1249. mvp-comment-705-1 πένθος is governed at once by προθήσειν and στένειν, and προθήσειν is used as in l. 216,='To appoint as a duty,' with some allusion to the other meaning of To lay out for mourning before burial.

1250. mvp-comment-706-1 γνώμης In respect of judgment. ἁμαρτάνειν is euphemistic.

1251. mvp-comment-707-1 ἐμοὶ δ᾽ οὖν Qy. ἔμοιγ' οὖν ? See the accentuation of the MS. reading.

1258. mvp-comment-708-1 μνῆμ᾽ ἐπίσημον A monument with evident tokens. The blood-stained corpse of Haemon was, as it were, a monument, on which was inscribed the record of the calamitous error of Creon. The metres of the concluding κομμός are as follows. The dochmiac rhythm prevails. a'. First strophe and antistrophe. 1261-1277=1184-1300. ںトトトㄈIトトー Five Iambic trimeters. 5-トリート! トトしに Cトトートトー 10010 レム DI 15 トトーchclcl ―トトートトーつつ 1500 「トトートトートトートトー「トトートca Cトトートトに tu a'. I, may be scanned either as diiambus, cretic, and dochmiac, or as an iambus and 2 dochmiacs; 3, two cretics; 15, dochmiac and iambic tri pody. The first strophe and antistrophe are followed by five iambic trimeters. β'. Second strophe and antistrophe. 1306-1325-1328-1346. トートトートトー (トトートトー 5 トトートトートート The intervention of the Exangelus at 1278, and the ἐκκύκλημα at 1293, are special features, which must have made this commos extraordinarily impressive. The coryphaeus chants 1257 ff., 1347 ff. The four other members of the front row interpose their remarks at intervals.