Sophocles Antigone 84

ed. August Boeckh

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ANTIGONE

Nicht Zeus ja war es, der mir dies verkünden liefs,

nicht Dike, sie, die mit den untern Mächten thront,

die für die Menschen ordneten dies Todtenrecht.

Und nie so mächtig, dacht' ich, seien deines Rufs
440

Verkündigungen, daſs der Götter sicheres

Gesetz, das ungeschriebne, du der Sterbliche

mögst überbieten. Nicht ja heut' und gestern erst,

nein, ewig lebt dies; keiner weiſs, seit wann es ist.

Für dieses wollt' ich nimmer, irgend Sterblicher
445

Bedünken scheuend, bei den Göttern Strafe mir

zuziehen. Daſs ich sterben werde, wuſst' ich längst,

wie anders? wenn auch dein Befehl es nicht verhiefs;

und sterbe vor der Zeit ich, nenn' ich das Gewinn.

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)) — 84 focus

ἀλλ᾽ οὖν προμηνύσεις γε τοῦτο μηδενὶ

Greek (A. Boeckh, 1884) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (A. Boeckh, 1884)) — 84 focus

ἀλλ' οὖν προμηνύσῃς γε τοῦτο μηδενὶ

Greek (F. H. Bothe, 1806) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (F. H. Bothe, 1806)) — 84 focus

ἀλλ᾽ οὖν προμηνύσεις γε τοῦτο μηδενὶ

Greek (Lewis Campbell, 1879) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (Lewis Campbell, 1879)) — 84 focus

ἀλλ᾽ οὖν προμηνύσῃς γε τοῦτο μηδενὶ

Greek (A. Colonna, 1978) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (A. Colonna, 1978)) — 84 focus

ἀλλ᾽ οὖν προμηνύσῃς γε τοῦτο μηδενὶ

Greek (A. Dain, 1955) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (A. Dain, 1955)) — 84.mvp-line-84 focus

ἀλλ’ οὖν προμηνύσῃς γε τοῦτο μηδενὶ

Greek (R. D. Dawe, 1979) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (R. D. Dawe, 1979)) — 84 focus

ἀλλ᾽ οὖν προμηνύσηις γε τοῦτο μηδενὶ

Greek (G. Hermann, 1830) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (G. Hermann, 1830)) — 84 focus

ἀλλ᾽ οὖν προμηνύσῃς γε τοῦτο μηδενὶ

Greek (R. C. Jebb, 1906) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (R. C. Jebb, 1906)) — 84 focus

ἀλλ᾽ οὖν προμηνύσῃς γε τοῦτο μηδενὶ

Greek (A. C. Pearson, 1924) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (A. C. Pearson, 1924)) — 84.mvp-line-84 focus

ἀλλ᾽ οὖν προμηνύσῃς γε τοῦτο μηδενὶ

Antigone (OCR draft) Experimental (Antigone) — 84 focus

ἀλλʼ οὖν προμηνύσῃς γε τοῦτο μηδενὶ

Greek (K. Reinhardt, 1949) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (K. Reinhardt, 1949)) — 84 focus

ἀλλ᾽ οὖν προμηνύσηις γε τοῦτο μηδενὶ

Translations (10)

Spanish (J. A. Bolufer, 1921) (OCR draft) Experimental (Spanish (J. A. Bolufer, 1921)) — 84 focus

ANTIGONA

La ven también éstos; pero cierran la boca por ti.

Latin (F. H. Bothe, 1806) (OCR draft) Experimental (Latin (F. H. Bothe, 1806)) — 84 focus

Antigone

Vident et isti, sed os tibi habent obnoxium.

English (Lewis Campbell, 1906) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Lewis Campbell, 1906)) — 84 focus

ANT

They see, but curb their voices to thy sway

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)) — 84 focus

Antigone

For what? Why blush to pay

A sister's duty 1

Spanish (A. G. Garbin, 1889) (OCR draft) Experimental (Spanish (A. G. Garbin, 1889)) — 84 focus

CORO

471 En ese carácter indomable bien se conoce la hija del inflexible Edipo; jamás se dejará abatir por las desgracias.

German (F. Hölderlin, 1804) (OCR draft) Experimental (German (F. Hölderlin, 1804)) — 84 focus

KREON

Schämst du dich nicht, die ungefragt zu deuten ?

English (Sir Richard Jebb1, 1904) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Sir Richard Jebb1, 1904)) — 84 focus

Antigone

These also share it; but they curb their tongues for thee. diy Cen 510

English (Robert Potter, 1788) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Robert Potter, 1788)) — 84 focus

Creon
STRO. 1.

Ay; so must thou, and I. No more delays;

Guards, bear them hence. These women must no more

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-244-1 φίλους ¹

mvp-comment-245-1 πάντα ταῦθ’ ² λαβεῖν ³

mvp-comment-246-1 σὲ δή, ⁴

mvp-comment-247-1 φὴς δεδρακέναι, ἢ καταρνεῖ μὴ δεδρ ⁵ καταρνεῖ ⁶

mvp-comment-248-1 καὶ......κοὐκ ⁷

mvp-comment-248-2 τὸ μή ⁸

mvp-comment-249-1 σὺ μέν ⁹ κομίζοις ἂν ς ¹⁰

mvp-comment-249-2 ἔξω ¹¹ β. αἰτίας ¹² ἐλεύθερον ¹³

mvp-comment-250-1 μῆκος ¹⁴

mvp-comment-251-1 ᾔδησθα ¹⁵ ᾔδης τὰ ¹⁶ σθα ¹⁷

mvp-comment-251-2 κηρυχθέντα ¹⁸

mvp-comment-252-1 ᾔδη ¹⁹

mvp-comment-252-2 τί δ’ οὐκ ἔμελλον ²⁰

mvp-comment-252-3 ἐμφανῆ ²¹ ἐκφανῆ ²²

mvp-comment-253-1 καὶ δῆτ’ ²³

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

439-440. mvp-comment-252-1 ἀλλὰ .. σωτηρίας (1) But all these things are to me by nature less important to obtain than my own safety. λαβεῖν epexegetic, like ἔχειν in Ο. Τ. 592, τυραννὶς ἡδίων ἔχειν. Cp. inf. 638, μείζων φέρεσθαι: Εl. 1015-1016, προνοίας οὐδὲν ἀνθρώποις ἔφυ | κέρδος λαβεῖν ἄμειvov. Or, possibly, (2) It is in my nature to take less account of all this than of my own safety. For the meaning thus given to ἐμοὶ πέφυκ cp. Εl. 860, πᾶσι θνατοῖς ἔφυ μύρος. And for λαβεῖν = To weigh or estimate, cp. Thuc. 2. 42, § 5, τὴν δὲ τῶν ἐναντίων τιμωρίαν ποθεινοτέραν αὐτῶν λαβόντες.

441. mvp-comment-253-1 For σὲ δή, sc. λέγω, cp. Aesch. Prom. 944, σὲ τὸν σοφιστήν, κ.τ.λ.: Soph. El. 1445, σε τοι, σὲ κρίνω, κ.τ.λ.: Eur. Hel. 546. And for ἐς πέδον κάρα νεύειν, cp. supr. 269.

441. mvp-comment-253-2 Creon misinterprets the action of Antigone. She fixes her eyes upon the ground, not from fear or shame, but because she is out of sympathy with all present, and her thoughts are in the other world. The hidden fire flashes out in ll. 450, foll., which are certainly not spoken with averted eyes. Cp. Ο. Τ. 1121.

442. mvp-comment-254-1 καταρνεῖ The unusual compound, introduced, perhaps, partly for the sake of metre, has also a special sense of blame. Cp. καταμελέω, καταξιόω, καταπειλέω, καταπροδίδωμι, καταργυρόω, κατασπείρω, κατασχολάζω.

445. mvp-comment-255-1 Free and exempt from grievous imputation.

446. mvp-comment-256-1 μήκος Adverbial, cp. O. С. 92, κέρδη μὲν οἰκήσαντα τοῖς δεδεγμένοις.

446. mvp-comment-256-2 'Tell us, no long tale, but briefly, knew you of the edict that forbade this deed? I knew; 'twas plain enough. How could I fail to know? And were you, then, so hardy as to transgress our law? That edict came not to me from the mouth of Zeus, nor from the Right, whose throne is with the Gods below. They also have appointed unto men a law. Methought your edict could not so prevail, as that a mortal should overleap the silent irrefragable ordinances of heaven. Their life is not of to-day or yesterday. They are eternal. None knoweth of a time when they began. I feared not so the mind of any man, as to incur before the Gods the penalty of that law. I knew, forsooth, without your edict, that I was to die. And if I am to die before the time, I count it gain. For he must surely gain by death who lives, as I do, midst abounding woes. And so for me to meet this doom is a grief I reck not of. If I had borne to leave unburied the corpse, fallen in carnage, of my mother's son, that had been a grief to me, but this is no grief. And if I seem to you to be now doing foolishly, it comes to this;-I am condemned of folly by a fool.'

447. mvp-comment-257-1 τὰ κηρυχθέντα The proclamation made. Cobet's conjecture ᾔδησθα κηρυχθέντα (Νov. Lect. 1858. p. 215), while restoring the recognised Attic form, is unobjectionable in point of syntax. But the use of the article in pointing to his own decree is characteristic of Creon, and if ἠείδης is retained in the Iliad, 22. 280, why not ᾔδης in Tragedy?

449. mvp-comment-258-1 καὶ δῆτα And then. Cp. Plat. Theaet. 142 C, καὶ δῆτα προπέμψας αὐτόν, ἀπιὼν πάλιν, κ.τ.λ.

449. mvp-comment-258-2 τούσδε . . νόμους These laws, i. e. The laws whose majesty is vested in me. For this use of the demonstrative, see Essay on Language § 22. p. 34.