Sophocles Antigone 70

ed. August Boeckh

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WÄCHTER

Herr, nichts doch mag verschwören je der Sterbliche;
375

denn Lügen straft der Nachgedank' ihn oft, sowie

ich kaum wol hoffte, wiederum hierher zu gehn,

ob deiner Drohung, die mich damals schwer betraf.

Doch Freude ja, die wider all Verhoffen kommt,

vergleicht an Gröfse nie sich einer andern Lust
380

ich komme, schwur ich eidlich gleich zuvor es ab,

hier diese Jungfrau bringend, die betroffen ward

das Grab bestellend. Nicht geschwenkt ward hier das Loos;

mein ist der Glücksfund, mein und keines Andern sonst.

Und jetzo, Herr, selbst nimm sie hin, wie dir's gefällt,
385

verhör' und überführe sie; ich frei von Schuld

verdiene ledig dieser Übel auszugehn.

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)) — 70 focus

πράσσειν, ἐμοῦ γ᾽ ἂν ἡδέως δρῴης μέτα ¹.

70

Greek (A. Boeckh, 1884) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (A. Boeckh, 1884)) — 70 focus

πράσσειν, ἐμοῦ γ' ἂν ἡδέως δρῴης μέτα.

70

Greek (F. H. Bothe, 1806) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (F. H. Bothe, 1806)) — 70 focus

πράσσειν, ἐμοῦ γ᾽ ἂν ἡδέως δρῴης μέτα·

70

Greek (Lewis Campbell, 1879) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (Lewis Campbell, 1879)) — 70 focus

πράσσειν, ἐμοῦ γ᾽ ἂν ἡδέως δρῴης μέτα.

70

Greek (A. Colonna, 1978) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (A. Colonna, 1978)) — 70 focus

πράσσειν, ἐμοῦ γ᾽ ἂν ἡδέως δρῴης μέτα.

70

Greek (A. Dain, 1955) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (A. Dain, 1955)) — 70.mvp-line-70 focus

πράσσειν, ἐμοῦ γ’ ἂν ἡδέως δρῴης μέτα.

70

Greek (R. D. Dawe, 1979) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (R. D. Dawe, 1979)) — 70 focus

πράσσειν, ἐμοῦ γ᾽ ἂν ἡδέως δρώιης μέτα.

70

Greek (G. Hermann, 1830) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (G. Hermann, 1830)) — 70 focus

πράσσειν, ἐμοῦ γ᾽ ἂν ἡδέως δρῴης μέτα.

70

Greek (R. C. Jebb, 1906) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (R. C. Jebb, 1906)) — 70 focus

πράσσειν, ἐμοῦ γ᾽ ἂν ἡδέως δρῴης μέτα.

70

Greek (A. C. Pearson, 1924) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (A. C. Pearson, 1924)) — 70.mvp-line-70 focus

πράσσειν, ἐμοῦ γ᾽ ἂν ἡδέως δρῴης μέτα.

70

Antigone (OCR draft) Experimental (Antigone) — 70 focus

πράσσειν, ἐμοῦ γʼ ἂν ἡδέως δρῴης μέτα.

70

Greek (K. Reinhardt, 1949) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (K. Reinhardt, 1949)) — 70 focus

πράσσειν, ἐμοῦ γ᾽ ἂν ἡδέως δρώιης μέτα,

70

Translations (10)

Spanish (J. A. Bolufer, 1921) (OCR draft) Experimental (Spanish (J. A. Bolufer, 1921)) — 70 focus

CREONTE

¿Y cómo fué fue vista y cogida en flagrante?

Latin (F. H. Bothe, 1806) (OCR draft) Experimental (Latin (F. H. Bothe, 1806)) — 70 focus

Creon

Et quomodo conspecta est, atque in facinore deprehensa?

English (Lewis Campbell, 1906) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Lewis Campbell, 1906)) — 70 focus

CR

And how was she detected, caught, and taken?

German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review) (OCR draft) Experimental (German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review)) — 69 focus

Nicht mehr verlang' ich's, möchte dich zur Helferin

Nicht mehr, erklärtest du dich auch bereit dazu.
70

Nein, wähle deinem Sinne nach: ihn werd' ich selbst

Bestatten; ruhmvoll ist der Tod für diese That.

Bei ihm, dem Lieben, werd' ich ruh'n, die Liebende,

Die frommen Frevel übte; muß ich länger doch

Den Todten dort gefallen, als den Lebenden.
75

Denn dort ja ruh' ich ewig; du, wenn dir's gefällt,

Entehre, was in Ehre selbst bei Göttern steht.

Ich acht' es auch der Ehre werth; indeß der Stadt

Zum Troz zu handeln, fühl ich mich nicht stark genug.

Antigone.

So wende du das vor; doch ich geh' unverweilt,
80

Und schütt' ein Grab dem heißgeliebten Bruder auf.

Ismene.

Tollkühne, weh mir! Ha, wie fürcht' ich deinethalb!

Antigone.

Sei nicht um mich bang; sich're du nur dein Geschick!

Ismene.

Doch offenbare ja zuvor Niemand die That;

Im Dunkel birg' sie; gerne schweig' auch ich davon.
85

Antigone.

Ha, laut verkünd' es! Viel verhaßter wirst du mir

Durch Schweigen, offenbarst du's nicht vor aller Welt.

Ismene.

Dir wallt der Busen glühend, wo mich Schauder faßt.

Antigone.

Doch weiß ich hold mir, deren Huld mein Höchstes iſt.

Ismene.

Wenn du's vermöchtest; doch du willst Unmögliches.
90

Nun freilich, wenn ich's nicht vermag, so lass' ich ab.

Auch nicht von Anfang jage nach Unmöglichem.

Antigone.

Durch solche Reden wirst du billig mir verhaßt,

Und billig hassen wird dich auch der Todte dort.

Nein, laß du mich und meines Sinnes Unverstand
95

Dies Grauenvolle dulden. Was ich Schweres auch¹

Erleiden möge, bleibt mir doch ein schöner Tod.

Ismene.

Nun, wenn dir's gut dünkt, ziehe hin: ächt schwesterlich

Als Schwester fühlend gehst du, wenn als Thörin auch.

(Sie gehen nach verschiedenen Seiten ab. Der Chor tritt auf.) Erste Strophe.

Der Chor.

English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759)) — 70 focus

Creon
407

But say, how discovered ?

Than, mindful of thy wrath, with careful hands

From off the putrid carcase we removed

The scattered dust ; then, to avoid the stench,

ExhaHng noisome, to a hill retired ;

There watched at distance, till the mid-day sun

Scorched o'er our heads. Sudden a storm arose,

vShook every leaf, and rattled through the grove,

Filling the troubled element. We closed

Our eyes, and patient bore the wrath of heaven.

At length the tempest ceased, when we beheld

This virgin issuing forth, and heard her cries

Distressful, like the plaintive bird who views

The plundered nest, and mourns her ravished young.

E'en thus the maid, when on the naked corse

She cast her eyes, loud shrieked, and cursed the hand

That did the impious deed, then sprinkled o'er

The crumbled earth, and from a brazen urn,

Of lichest work, to the levied relics thrice

Her due libations poured. We saw, and straight

Pursued her. XJnappalled she seemed, and still

As we did question her, confessed it all.

It pleased, and yet methought it grieved me too.

To find ourselves released from woe is bliss

Supreme, but thus to see our friends unhappy

Embitters all. I must be thankful still

For my own safety, which I hold most dear.

Spanish (A. G. Garbin, 1889) (OCR draft) Experimental (Spanish (A. G. Garbin, 1889)) — 70 focus

CREONTE

¿Qué ocurre de nuevo? Llego en hora oportuna de enterarme.

German (F. Hölderlin, 1804) (OCR draft) Experimental (German (F. Hölderlin, 1804)) — 70 focus

KREON

Und wie ward sie gesehn und schuldig funden ?

English (Sir Richard Jebb1, 1904) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Sir Richard Jebb1, 1904)) — 70 focus

Creon

And how was she seen? how taken in the act ?

English (Robert Potter, 1788) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Robert Potter, 1788)) — 70 focus

Ismene

With wily secrecy to drain my blood,

(For little did I think that two such pests

I nurtured, to subvert my throne combined).

Tell me, with her didst thou prepare this tomb

Will thou confess it, or abjure the deed?
540

I did it, with my sister in the deedivi
540

Consorting, and with her partake the blame.

Juctice allows not this: thou hadst no will

To aid; nor with thee did I share the act.

Yet in thy danger I am not ashamed

To make myself a partner of thy fate.
545

Whose deed this is the dead and Pluto know."
545

Love shown in words alone contents not me.

Yet scorn me not, disdain not that I diese

With thee, and pay that reverence to the dead.
550

Die not with me, nor thine make thou a deed
550

Thou didst not: it sufficeth that I die.

Deprived of thee, my sister, how can life:

Be dear to me?

English (Sir Richard Jebb2, 1904) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Sir Richard Jebb2, 1904)) — 100-160 focus

Enter the Chorus on the right.

Chorus

Shaft of the sun, fairest light of all that have dawned on Thebes of the seven gates, you have shone forth at last, eye of golden day, advancing over Dirce’s streams!
100

You have goaded with a sharper bit the warrior of the white shield, who came from Argos in full armor, driving him to headlong retreat.
105

110

Chorus

He set out against our land because of the strife-filled claims of Polyneices, and like a screaming eagle he flew over into our land, covered by his snow-white wing,
110

with a mass of weapons and crested helmets.
115

117

Chorus

He paused above our dwellings; he gaped around our sevenfold portals with spears thirsting for blood; but he left

before his jaws were ever glutted with our gore, or before the Fire-god’s pine-fed flame had seized our crown of towers.
120

So fierce was the crash of battle swelling about his back, a match too hard to win for the rival of the dragon.
125

127

Chorus

For Zeus detests above all the boasts of a proud tongue. And when he saw them advancing in a swollen flood,

arrogant their clanging gold, he dashed with brandished fire one who was already starting to shout victory when he had reached our ramparts.
130

134

Chorus

Staggered, he fell to the earth with a crash,

torch in hand, a man possessed by the frenzy of the mad attack, who just now was raging against us with the blasts of his tempestuous hate. But his threats did not fare as he had hoped, and to the other enemies mighty Ares dispensed each their own dooms with hard blows,
135

Ares, our mighty ally at the turning-point.
140

141

Chorus

For the seven captains, stationed against an equal number at the seven gates, left behind their brazen arms in tribute to Zeus the turner of battle—all but the accursed pair who, born of one father and one

mother, set against each other their spears, both victorious, and who now share in a common death.
145

148

Chorus

But since Victory whose name is glory has come to us, smiling in joy equal to the joy of chariot-rich Thebes ,

let us make for ourselves forgetfulness after the recent wars, and visit all the temples of the gods with night-long dance and song. And may Bacchus, who shakes the earth of Thebes , rule our dancing!
150

155

Chorus

But look, the king of the land is coming here, Creon, the son of Menoeceus, our new ruler in accordance with the new circumstances fated by the gods. What policy is he setting in motion,
155

that he has proposed this special conference of elders, and summoned it by a general mandate?
160

Commentary

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

mvp-comment-200-1 ἔρδει ¹ ἔρδοι ²

mvp-comment-202-1 The choral ode has closed with an allusion to the unknown man ( ὅς ³ ἀμφινοῶ ⁴ ἐς ⁵

mvp-comment-202-2 δαιμόνιον τέρας ⁶

mvp-comment-203-1 πῶς εἰδὼς ⁷

mvp-comment-203-2 ἀντιλογήσω ⁸

mvp-comment-204-1 ὦ δύστηνος ⁹

mvp-comment-204-2 δ. πατρός ¹⁰

mvp-comment-204-3 Οἰδιπόδα— ¹¹

mvp-comment-205-1 τί ποτ’ ¹²

mvp-comment-205-2 οὐ δή που ¹³

mvp-comment-205-3 ἀπιστοῦσαν ¹⁴

mvp-comment-205-4 ἄγουσι ¹⁵

mvp-comment-205-5 colloquialism, it would be nearly as bad as, ‘Have they taken you up?’

mvp-comment-205-6 καὶ ¹⁶ ἀπιστοῦσαν ¹⁷ καθελόντες ¹⁸

mvp-comment-206-1 Second

ἐπεισόδιον

. Antigone, brought before Creon, avows and justifies her deed. Creon declares that she shall die. Ismene, when led in (531), associates herself with the act, but is not permitted by her sister to claim any part in it. Creon orders that both sisters shall be kept prisoners.

mvp-comment-206-2 ἐκείνη ¹⁹

mvp-comment-206-3 τοὔργον ἡ ’ξειργ ²⁰

mvp-comment-207-1 ἐς δέον ²¹

mvp-comment-208-1 ξύμμετρος ²²

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

332-383. mvp-comment-190-1 Most wonderful of wondrous things is man, Who traverses the surging brine, And wearies mighty earth with yearly furrow. His craft ensnares the finny produce of the seas And taketh captive beast and bird. He compasseth a way to master the monster of the wilds, And brings under his yoke the horse with flowing mane And the never-wearied mountain bull. Selftaught in speech and thought and civil ways, And in providing shelter from the cold and rain, There is no end to his devices. Nothing but death ever finds him unprepared. Even diseases, not to be avoided, are escaped by him. Inventive beyond hope, he moveth now to evil, and again to good. When weaving with his wit the law of justice and piety He is exalted in the city, but outcast when he harbours wickedness for deeds of crime. May I never live with such an one, and may he never share my counsels. 332. Aesch. Cho. 585, πολλὰ μὲν γὰ τρέφει δεινὰ δειμάτων ἄχη,.. ἀλλ᾽ ὑπέρτολμον ἀνδρὸς φρόνημα τίς λέγοι; Troch. Iamb. Troch.

332-383. mvp-comment-190-2 δεινά = ' wonderful,' or mighty, is in transition from the earlier sense of fearful to the later sense of clever. Cp.

332-383. mvp-comment-190-3 ὀλοόφρων.

375. mvp-comment-214-1 ἴσον φρονῶν i. e. Of the same party in the state. For the expression, cp. Il. 15.50, ἶσον ἐμοὶ φρονέουσα.

376-378. mvp-comment-215-1 ἐς δαιμόνιον τέρας .. Ἀντιγόνην] I stand in doubt at this strange marvel, how to gainsay what I know, and say that this is not the maid Antigone. The resumption is suitable to the chorus' perturbed state of feeling. Seyffert's ἐς δαιμόνιον τέρας ἀμφινοῶν τότε, referring to the previous scene (1. 278), is without the directness and simplicity of these short anapaestic passages, in which the chorus announce the entrance of a new person on the stage. Cp. 526 ff., 626 ff.

378. mvp-comment-216-1 οὐκ εἶναι, not μὴ εἶναι, because the entrance of Antigone is a patent fact.

382. mvp-comment-217-1 *ἀπάγουσι Sc. εἰς κρίσιν.

385. mvp-comment-218-1 εἵλομεν The v. r. εἴδομεν is supported by infr. 404, 406, 423, and εἴλομεν, the reading of L, etc., may have been occasioned by καθελόντες in the nearer context. But see v. rr. on 655.

386. mvp-comment-219-1 ἐς δέον Cp. Ο. Τ. 1416, εἰς δέον πάρεστι. εἰς μέσον, which Seyffert has restored from L, although having the authority of the chief MS, is more like a MS. conjecture than eἰς δέον. The same may be said of ἐξέβην, as compared with προὔβην. Seyffert reads ξύμμετρ᾽ ἐξέβην τύχῃ.