1-17.
mvp-comment-1-1
The opening speeches reveal the contrast between the sisters, while the affectionate address of Antigone in l. 1 gives greater emphasis to her violent outbreak in l. 69. Cp. О. Т. 85, and note.
1.
mvp-comment-2-1
κοινόν not only means
Of common parentage, but has the further significance of common interests and feelings. See Essay on Language p. 96, and for αὐτάδελφον (where the compound merely adds a pathetic emphasis), Essay on Language p. 91, 6.
Ismene, my own sister, who sharest all with me. Antigone and Ismene were united by a common grief in an affection
Dearer than the natural bond of sisters.
2-3.
mvp-comment-3-1
(1)
Do you know, that of the ills derived from Oedipus there is not one which Zeus will not bring upon us two before we die? ὁποῖον οὐχί is the indirect form of ποῖον οὐχί ; =
all without exception. So Böckh: and this agrees better with what follows in ll. 7, 9, 10, 11 ff. than (2) reading ὅ, τι with the Schol. and rendering, 'Know'st thou which of the evils is such that Zeus will not accomplish it?' or (3) (ὁποῖον α resumption of ὅ, τι), 'Know'st thou what of all the evil Zeus will not accomplish?' or (4) supposing ὅτι pleonastic: 'Know'st thou what' etc.
2-3.
mvp-comment-3-2
τῶν ἀπ᾿ Οἰδίπου Oedipus in the Antigone is simply the author of misery to his race: infr. 49 ff., 864 ff., although the misery has an earlier source in the Doom of the Labdacidae. The action of the O. T. and O. C. must not be presupposed. See Introd. p. 452.
3.
mvp-comment-4-1
vῷv is dative. (Essay on Language § 12. p. 18). For ἔτι ζώσαιν, cp. Hom. Il. 18. 10, Μυρμιδόνων τὸν ἄριστον ἔτι ζώοντος ἐμεῖο | χερσὶν ὑπὸ Τρώων λείψειν φάος ἠελίοιο.
4.
mvp-comment-5-1
ἄτης †ἄτερ Neither the defence of these words by Böckh, who places them between commas,
Calamity apart, i.e.
no disgrace, not to speak of calamity, (cp. Dem. de Cor. p. 255); nor that of Wecklein, who treats the privative as a redundant negative, i. e.
4.
mvp-comment-5-2
ἄτερ = οὐ πλέων, nor Linwood's, who makes ἀλγεινὸν οὔτ᾽ ἄτης ἄτερ = άλγεινὸν ἀτηρόν τε, is satisfactory. Yet Didymus knew of no other reading, and interlinear glosses before the Christian era can hardly be assumed. Else there is much plausibility in Porson's conjecture that a gloss ἀτηρ', i. e. ἀτηρόν, has taken the place of ἔχον (sc. μετέχον), or some other word. The corruption occurring at such an early period is more probably due to the confusion to which all negative expressions are liable (Essay on Language § 29. 2, p. 49), but which in the present instance cannot be attributed to the poet; i. e. οὐδὲν ἀτηρόν ἐσθ᾽ ὁποῖον οὐκ ὄπωπα, has become confused in the mind of some early interpreter with οὐδέν ἐσθ᾽ ὁποῖον οὐκ ἀτηρόν = οὐδέν ἐστ᾽ ἄτης ἄτερ. Qy. ἄτης πλέων? The emphasis culminates on ἄτιμον, which pointedly refers to the dishonour she is now to speak of.
6.
mvp-comment-6-1
τῶν.. κακῶν, partitive genitive, as supplementary predicate. See Essay on Language § 10. p. 15.
7-8.
mvp-comment-7-1
πανδήμῳ.. στρατηγόν The Thebans had gone forth πανδημεί under Creon's generalship, and he had made the proclamation as στρατηγός, before assuming the civil power. Cp. Thuc. 5. 60, § 5, τὰς ἀπὸ στρατείας δίκας πρὶν ἐσιέναι κρίνουσιν. The publicity of the edict makes it more painful. Antigone knows what she is doing. Infr. 44, 907.
9.
mvp-comment-8-1
τι is adverbial.
10.
mvp-comment-9-1
τῶν ἐχθρῶν
When evils devised by enemies are threatening those we love. In the vehemence of her resentment she already speaks of Creon as an enemy. Cp. infr. 62. τὰ ἀπὸ τῶν ἐχθρῶν κακά, Schol. According to others τῶν ἐχθρῶν is abl. gen.
passing from enemies, i.e. no longer directed towards them, or descriptive,
evils which belong to enemies, i. e. which should be confined to them.
11.
mvp-comment-10-1
οὐδεὶς μῦθος.. φίλων
Νo word concerning any of our friends. Essay on Language § 9. p. 13.
12.
mvp-comment-11-1
ἐξ ὅτου Sophocles has not been careful to mark the exact sequence of the events preceding the action of the Play. (See Introduction.) But the death of the brothers is supposed to have taken place some little time before the rout of the Argive host. Infr. 144-148.
14.
mvp-comment-12-1
μιᾷ.. διπλῇ Essay on Language p. 69.
17.
mvp-comment-13-1
μᾶλλον is redundant, the whole expression being epexegetic of οὐδὲν ὑπέρτερον, and in construction with οἶδα.
18-19.
mvp-comment-14-1
καί σ'.. ἐξέπεμπον
And it is for this that I have been leading thee forth. Thus a probable reason is given for the appearance of the two maidens before the gate. Their usual seclusion has been somewhat relaxed during the absence of Creon and Eteocles with the army. Infr. 578-579. Cp. El. 517.
20.
mvp-comment-15-1
δηλοῖς γάρ τι καλχαίνουσ᾽ ἔπος
It is plain that your thoughts are darkening with some troublous word.
20.
mvp-comment-15-2
καλχαίνω is formed on a fancied analogy to πορφύρω, as this is used in Homer of the agitation of the sea, and, metaphorically, of the mind. According to others the first notion of καλχαίνω is to stir from the depths, as in dredging for the murex (κάλχη).
21.
mvp-comment-16-1
τάφου is genitive of respect with both participles, but chiefly privative genitive ve ἀτιμάσας. See Essay on Language p. 66, 1, 68. She implies that both brothers had been dishonoured by the decree. Cp. infr. 515-517, οὐ μαρτυρήσει ταῦθ᾽ ὁ κατθανὼν νέκυς.. οὐ γάρ τι δοῦλος, ἀλλ᾽ ἀδελφὸς ὤλετο.
23.
mvp-comment-17-1
ὡς λέγουσι, resumed in φασιν l. 27, φασι l. 31, points to the fact that the maidens in their seclusion could only know of the edict from hearsay.
23.
mvp-comment-17-2
σὺν δίκῃ | †χρησθεὶς δικαίᾳ καὶ νόμῳ χρησθείς has been generally condemned, and ἐχρήσθην only occurs elsewhere in a strictly passive sense. Yet, as Shilleto observes (Journ. of Phil. No. 13, p. 149), ᾐδεσάμην and ᾐδέσθην, the former in lyric verse, the latter in senarii, are found within a few lines of each other in O. T. 647, 651; and χρησάμενος does not occur in Sophocles.
23.
mvp-comment-17-3
Ἐτεοκλέα ἔκρυψε, χρησθεὶς (αὐτῷ) σὺν δίκῃ, is not impossible in point of syntax. On the other hand neither χρησθεὶς δίκαια, nor χρηστοῖς δικαίᾳ, nor προσθεὶς δίκαια, can be approved. In 1871 I suggested προθείς.
After laying him out in state, with the righteous meed of honour and all customary observance, he has covered him in earth. Cp. Hdt. 1.112-115. 8, τρεῖς μὲν ἡμέρας προτιθέασι τὸν νεκρόν: inf. 196, καὶ τὰ πάντ᾽ ἐφαγνίσαι. This part of the treatment of Eteocles would contrast with the prohibition even to mourn for Polynices. Cp. Thuc. 2. 34, where the words καὶ ἐπιφέρει τῷ αὑτοῦ ἕκαστος ἤν τι βούληται throw some light on the custom implied in σὺν δίκῃ δικαίᾳ καὶ νόμῳ. For the emphatic δικαίᾳ, cp. Αj. 1100, ἐς ταφὰς ἐγὼ θήσω δικαίως: Hdt. 8. 106, νόμῳ δικαίῳ χρεώμενοι. προθείς may have been changed to προσθείς (which Donaldson conjectured), and to this may have been added an interlinear gloss ἃ χρή. Cp. 1. 243. κάφαγιστεύσας ἃ χρή. Another guess is χρῆσθαι δικαιῶν (sc. αὐτῷ). For similar fullness of expression on a solemn occasion, cp. O. T. 219, 259.
25.
mvp-comment-18-1
τοῖς .. νεκροῖς
Holding his honours amongst the dead; i.e. not ἄτιμος, or deprived of common rights.
26.
mvp-comment-19-1
θανόντα .. νέκυν Cp. infr. 515, ὁ κατθανὼν νέκυς.
27.
mvp-comment-20-1
ἐκκεκηρύχθαι Passive.
That proclamation has been made. Cp. προκεῖσθαι,
l. 36
.
29.
mvp-comment-21-1
ἐἂν. Sc. πάντας. The affirmative subject is supplied from the negative Cp. the language of the proclamation in O. T. 241, and see Essay on Language p. 59.
29.
mvp-comment-21-2
ἄκλαυτον, ἄταφον Cp. Od. 11. 72; Il. 22. 386; Eur. Hec. 30.
29-30.
mvp-comment-22-1
οἰωνοῖς .. βορᾶς (1)
To the vultures a sweet treasure as they eye him with a view to the gratification of food. Cp. infr. 371 τόλμας χάριν : 908, τίνος νόμου δὴ ταῦτα πρὸς χάριν λέγω; Or, perhaps. (2)
To the vultures, eyeing him, a glad store of food to gratify their desire. For πρὸς χάριν in the latter rendering, cp. Phil. 1156, ἀντίφονον κορέσαι στόμα πρὸς χάριν, and for the combination of adverbial phrase and noun, El. 1336, σὺν χαρᾷ βοῆς.
31.
mvp-comment-23-1
τὸν ἀγαθὸν Κρέοντα Cp. Phil. 873, ἁγαθοὶ στρατηλάται.
31-32.
mvp-comment-24-1
σοι | κάμοί, λέγω γὰρ κἀμέ] Antigone first says,
There is Creon's proclamation for you! (σοι unemphatic as in l. 37:) then, going off upon the word,
For you, did I say? ay, and for me too, for I count myself also amongst those forbidden. This is said with bitter emphasis, showing that she has fully counted the cost of the act she meditates.
The proclamation extends to me-I accept the consequences. For λέγω in this sense, cp. Aesch. Prom. 973, καὶ σὲ δ᾽ ἐν τούτοις λέγω: Cho. 989, Αἰγίσθου γὰρ οὐ λέγω μόρον. Others take κἀμέ as κάμοί,
Το me, I say! (whose spirit he little knows).
35.
mvp-comment-25-1
ὃς ἄν Essay on Language § 22. p. 35, 2. §39. p. 72.
35.
mvp-comment-25-2
τούτων τι For this idiomatic use of τι, cp. Thuc. 5. 13, δρᾶν τι ὧν ἐκεῖνος ἐπενόει.
36.
mvp-comment-26-1
δημόλευστον
By stoning of the people. Essay on Language p. 98, a, line 15.
38.
mvp-comment-27-1
For εὐγενής in the ethical sense, cp. Eur. El. 363, οὔτοι τό γ' ἦθος δυσγενές παρέξομαι. And for the genitive ἐσθλῶν, cp. Αj. 763, ἄνους καλῶς λέγοντος εὑρέθη πατρός.
39-40.
mvp-comment-28-1
Alas for thy rash spirit! What help, if things be at this pass, can I afford, either to undo what is done, or to confirm it?' ταλαῖφρον points to the daring spirit of Antigone and to the tone of her last words. For λύουσα, cp. Aesch. S. c. Т. 270, λύουσα πολεμίων φόβον. The choice lies between ἢ 'φάπτουσα and εἴθ' ἅπτουσα. The implied negative is in favour of εἴθ' ἅπτουσα, which comes near the first hand of L. Cp. О. Т. 517, λόγοισιν εἴτ᾿ ἔργοισιν, where, however, ei precedes. But εἴτε is slightly too emphatic, and ἢ ᾿φάπτουσα is an early reading. The expression is proverbial. Cp. Aj. 1317.
42.
mvp-comment-29-1
ποῦ γνώμης ποτ' εἶ; Although ποῖ with the verb of motion is not unlikely (cp. El. 922, ὅποι γνώμης φέρει), the future tense does not suit the passage. Hence the reading of Par. A. (with εἶ from εἰμί) is preferable. Cp. Ε1. 390, ποῦ ποτ' εἶ φρενῶν; but see Eurip. Iph. A. 480, for el from εἶμι with present meaning.
43.
mvp-comment-30-1
Antigone's first intention is to lift the body with Ismene's help and give it proper burial. Being unable to do this unaided, she sprinkles the dust. Cp. El. 938-1057.
43.
mvp-comment-30-2
ξὺν τῇδε .. χερί
Aiding this hand, i. e. taking part in my labour. Cp. Ο. Τ. 811 ἐκ τῆσδε χειρός. Essay on Language § 22. p. 34.
44.
mvp-comment-31-1
ἀπόρρητον πόλει
A thing forbidden to the whole city. ἀπόρρητον is neuter accusative in apposition to the action of θάπτειν. Essay on Language § 17. p. 25.
45-46.
mvp-comment-32-1
I will certainly bury my brother and yours, though you do not choose to do your part. The second of these lines has been needlessly suspected. The rejoinder of Ismene comes in more effectively when the στιχομυθία is broken. ἣν = κἄν, cp. Phil. 52, ἄλλ' ἤν τι καινὸν .. κλύῃς, ὑπουργεῖν.
48.
mvp-comment-33-1
He has no right in what is mine, to part me from my own. τῶν ἐμῶν is partitive genitive with οὐδὲν μέτα: privative genitive with εἴργειν. Essay on Language p. 61.
50.
mvp-comment-34-1
vῷν Ethical dative.
51.
mvp-comment-35-1
αὐτοφώρων
Self-detected; i. e. Brought to light by his own act. πρός = In consequence of,' connects the phrase with the preceding rather than the following words. Although the action of O. T. is not presupposed, this part of the fable had been already developed by Aeschylus. See S. c. T. 778 ff. Others take αὐτοφώρων to mean
clearly proved,
manifest to all men: cp. Od. 11.247, ἄφαρ δ᾽ ἀνάπυστα θεοὶ θέσαν ἀνθρώποισιν. But the emphatic repetition of αὐτὸς αὐτουργῷ in the next line agrees better with the more pregnant meaning. αὐτουργῷ = εἰς ἑαυτὸν ταῦτα ἐρξάσῃ.
53.
mvp-comment-36-1
διπλοῦν ἔπος
A two-fold name, suggesting the horror of the double relationship. Cp. Ο. Τ. 928, γυνὴ δὲ μήτηρ ἥδε τῶν κείνου τέκνων.
54.
mvp-comment-37-1
λωβᾶται βίον
Destroys her own life. Cp. Tr. 887, τάνδ᾽ ὕβριν.
56.
mvp-comment-38-1
αὐτοκτονούντε
By mutual fratricidal slaughter. αὐτός in composition here is partly reciprocal and partly, as in αὐτόχειρ, suggestive of the murder of kindred: cp. 1. 172. The same is true of κοινόν: cp. 1. 147.
57.
mvp-comment-39-1
ἐπαλλήλοιν
Mutual. The read. ing of L and Hermann is justified by the awkwardness of the double genitive dual and the doubtful use of ἐπί in the other reading.
58.
mvp-comment-40-1
δή emphasizes μόνα with reference to what precedes.
Thus left alone.
60.
mvp-comment-41-1
ψῆφον τυράννων ἢ κράτη
The will or authority of the ruler. 64. For the epexegesis, see Essay on Language § 33. p. 57. And for the accusative,
to obey in this, cp. infr. 666-667.
66.
mvp-comment-42-1
βιάζομαι τάδε This passive use of βιάζομαι occurs again in l. 1073, ἀλλ᾿ ἐκ σοῦ βιάζονται τάδε.
67.
mvp-comment-43-1
τοῖς .. βεβῶσι
Those whose position is supreme; i.e. the present ruling power.
68.
mvp-comment-44-1
περισσὰ πράσσειν ‘Το act beyond one's sphere.' Cp. Tr. 617, τὸ μὴ πιθυμεῖν πομπὸς ὢν περισσὰ δρᾶν.
70.
mvp-comment-45-1
ἐμοῦ.. μέτα
Would your acting with me be any pleasure to me. For the adverb ἡδέως, implying a predicate, see Essay on Language § 24. p. 40.
71.
mvp-comment-46-1
ἴσθ᾽ ὁποία This reading is acknowledged by the Scholiast equally with ἴσθ' ὁποῖα, the reading of LA. Be such as you choose to be' (i. e. base, cp. supr. 38) is more forcible than
Hold what principles you please, even if εἰδέναι can have this meaning. Cp Phil. 1049, τοιοῦτός εἰμ' ἐγώ: Eur. Or. 1680, κἀγὼ τοιοῦτος. ὁποία is nominative by attraction to the antecedent. Hermann thought the dative ὁποίᾳ was required.
72.
mvp-comment-47-1
Antigone knows clearly from the beginning, with the heightened consciousness of passion, the consequences of her act. There is no
irony of fortune, so far as she is concerned.
74.
mvp-comment-48-1
ὅσια πανουργ. Cp. infr. 924.
75.
mvp-comment-49-1
τῶν ἐνθάδε See Essay on Language § 10. p.15. The form of expression resembles Hdt. 3. 124, βούλεσθαι οὖν παρθενεύεσθαι πλείω χρόνον ἢ τοῦ πατρὸς ἐστερῆσθαι. For the thought, cp. Plat. Legg. 9.881 Α, θάνατος μὲν οὐκ ἔστιν ἔσχατον, οἱ δὲ ἐν ῞Αιδου . πόνοι .. εἰσὶ μᾶλλον ἐν ἐσχάτοις : Sim. Am. 3, πολλὸς γὰρ ἡμῖν ἐστι τεθνάναι χρόνος, κ.τ.λ.
76.
mvp-comment-50-1
σοὶ δ᾽ εἰ δοκεῖ The emphasis really rests on the subject (σύ), but is transferred to the dative, as in Phil. 1395, ὡς ῥᾷστ᾽ ἐμοὶ μὲν τῶν λόγων λῆξαι, σὲ δὲ | κ.τ.λ. Essay on Language § 41. pp. 78-79. The change to σύ (see v. rr.) is slight, but rather weakens the expression.
77.
mvp-comment-51-1
τὰ τῶν θεῶν ἔντιμα
What is held honourable amongst the Gods. Cp. θεῶν νόμιμα, infr. 454-455: 1.ε. τὰ τῶν θεῶν ὄντα καὶ ὑπὸ τῶν θεῶν ἀγόμενα ἐν τιμῇ. Hh ἀτιμάσασ᾽ ἔχε]
Persist in slighting. 78. ἐγὼ ποιοῦμαι
I do not mean to show disrespect. She shrinks from saying distinctly τὰ τῶν θεῶν.
79.
mvp-comment-52-1
ἔφυν By nature and position.
82.
mvp-comment-53-1
ταλαίνης after οἴμοι: σου after ὑπερδέδοικα. But this distinction is hardly felt in the Greek.
83.
mvp-comment-54-1
ἐξόρθου
Continue to direct safely, as if steering a vessel.
85.
mvp-comment-55-1
σὺν δ' See Essay on Language § 18. p. 26.
86.
mvp-comment-56-1
The Epic πολλόν is curious, but need not be changed. Cp. Tr. 1196, πολλὸν δ᾽ ἄρσεν᾽ ἐκτεμόνθ᾽ ὁμοῦ | ἄγριον ἔλαιον. Other Epic forms in this play are ὡσεί τε, infr. 653; ὑπαί, infr. 1035: εἰν ῞Αιδου δόμοις, 1241. A lukewarm spirit is above all hateful to Antigone. If Ismene disapproves her act, let her denounce it. ἐὰν μή, κ.τ.λ., further explains σιγῶσ'. Cp. Ο. Τ. 57, ἔρημος ἀνδρῶν μὴ ξυνοικούντων ἔσω.
88.
mvp-comment-57-1
θερμὴν .. ἔχεις
Your courage is hot upon a cold enterprize.
88.
mvp-comment-57-2
ψυχροῖσι]
Chilling, i.e. Causing a cold thrill of horror. Cp. Aesch. Prom. 691-693, οὐδ᾽ ὧδε δυσθέατα καὶ δυσοιστὰ ... ψύχειν ψυχὰν ἐμάν. Also with an association from the meaning
fruitless; cp. Hdt. 9. 49, ἐπαρθεὶς ψυχρῇ νίκῃ.
91.
mvp-comment-58-1
Cp. 1. 926, παθόντες ἂν ξυγγνοῖμεν ἡμαρτηκότες.
94.
mvp-comment-59-1
ἐχθρὰ .. δίκῃ
And our dead brother will justly hold you as an enemy: ἐχθράν σε προσθήσεται: ср. Eur. Τr. 185, τῷ πρόσκειμαι δούλα;
Who has me for his slave.
95.
mvp-comment-60-1
τὴν ἐξ ἐμοῦ
That proceeds from me; i. e.
For which I alone am responsible. See Essay on Language § 19. p. 28.
1
96.
mvp-comment-61-1
πείσομαι γὰρ οὐ The reading οὐ, for which some critics would substitute οὖν, is confirmed (1) by the tendency to a vehement accumulation of negatives in the speeches of Antigone in this scene: (2) by the similar emphatic inversions noticed in the Essay on Language § 41. p. 78.
99.
mvp-comment-62-1
τοῖς φίλοις δ᾽ ὀρθῶς φίλη
But unfailing in kindness to thy friends; i. e. A faithful sister to thine own brother. Cp. Eur. Or. 424, ἀληθὴς δ᾽ ἐς φίλους ἔφυν φίλος. Antigone goes to perform the sepulture, and Ismene returns into the palace. The stage is left vacant. As in the Ajax, there is a distinct break after the prologue, which has laid the ground of the action so far as Antigone is concerned. The first episodion, ll. 163 ff., is in one sense a fresh beginning, as setting forth the motives of Creon, and still only preparing for the collision. The parados, ll. 100 ff., introduces us to the public feeling of Thebes, and to the wider sphere of which the action forms the central point. 100 ff. Instead of a long series of anapaests, followed by lyrical strophes and antistrophes, as in the Ajax (with which cp. Aesch. Agamemnon), we have here two strophes and antistrophes alternating with anapaestic systems of about seven lines each: making a form of parodos intermediate between that of the Ajax and that of the O. T., in which there are no anapaests. The α' (100-109=117-133). chorus on its first appearance chants ll. 100-109, then advances while the coryphaeus recites 110-116, then the antistrophe is chanted, then another advance is made during the recitative of 11. 127-133, then strophe B' is chanted, the chorus by this time standing near the stage; then they make a final advance, and, during the second antistrophe, are standing full in front of the stage. Lastly, as Creon is seen approaching, the coryphaeus chants ll. 155-162, which thus form at once the conclusion of the parodos and the
introit or prelude of the first episodium.
99.
mvp-comment-62-2
The total effect is that of a stately and solemn triumph, in which the bright influence of the glyconic opening is tempered with slow movements (---), as in ll. 106, 122, 137, 151, and interrupted rhythms, as in ll. 103, 120, 138, 152; the notes of triumph and solemnity being combined in the choriambi, which bring the lyrical part to a close. Thus we have- β΄ (134-140=148-154). CI IICCーしー CLトくトCCI 51--10CICIC ト 1001010110010||| ――トしてトー luclcclcULCII) C- 「SƆIDII7 5トレトしし LCCLLCCLLCCLLCCLI トリトー The culmination of feeling is marked by the dactylic opening of β'. The rhythms of a' 3. 4, 6, and β' 3, 4, show the correlation of the two movements. The adaptation of sound to sense is specially obvious in the resolved trochees of a' 7, while the concluding lines, a' 8, β' 7, serve to harmonize the logaoedic with the anapaestic measures. Cp. O. C. 135-137, 167-169.
99.
mvp-comment-62-3
'Never did morning rise so fair as this which thou didst bring at length to waiting Thebè, O eye of golden day! For thy first beams, shooting over Dircè's rills, stirred into quicker flight the Argive warrior, who for Polynices' quarrel swooped upon our land on snow-white wing, with many a shield and many a plumèd helm.
99.
mvp-comment-62-4
Threatening our halls in towering pride he stood, and gaped with bristling spears around our gates, thirsting for our blood: but he is gone, or ever his desire was slaked, or ever the fire-god caught our coronal of towers. Such fight displayed the serpent writhing in his gripe, not easily subdued. Such din of war assailed him as he turned to flee. For Zeus abhors the boaster and contemns the clank of gold. And when he saw them moving in a full proud stream, he smote with lightning from on high the daring climber who had gained the pinnacle and was eagerly preparing to shout victory. And swung to earth he fell with a rebound, the firebearer, who with mad rush was breathing his blast of enmity against the wall. And various was the fortune of the day. But terrible was the War-god as he plunged amidst our enemies, a mighty helper for us.
99.
mvp-comment-62-5
'For at all our gates their captains, seven against seven, left their panoplies as trophies to our cause. All, save the horrid pair, who fell together with the guilt of mutual fratricide.
99.
mvp-comment-62-6
But forget we the griefs of war. For victory came with smiles of joy to greet our smiling town. So visit we the temples of the gods with dances all night long: and let Theban Bacchus be the master of our revelry.
103.
mvp-comment-63-1
χρυσέας χρυσέας, as in O. T. 158-187.
106.
mvp-comment-64-1
The rivulet of Dircè was to the west of Thebes. The sun had risen just as the retreat of the Argives became a rout, and the army returning from pursuit would see the morning light reflected in the stream, which they would cross on their way back to the city. Cp. Eur. Phoen. 730. The ode is not chanted at sunrise, but celebrates the glorious morning which had seen the discomfiture of the enemy. The chorus of elders imagine themselves in the position of the victorious army.
106.
mvp-comment-64-2
λεύκασπιν Cp. Aesch. S. c. Т. 96, λευκοπρεπή λέων: Eur. Phoen. 1099, λεύκασπιν εἰσορῶμεν Ἀργείων στράτον.
106.
mvp-comment-64-3
Αργόθεν The correspondence of a dactyl in the antistrophe to the trochee Αργό- in this line justly leads to suspicion of the text, and Hermann conjectured Ἀργόθεν ἐκ. Qy. Ἀργόλεων ? or Ἀργογενή ?
108.
mvp-comment-65-1
φυγάδα πρόδρομον (1)
Running before us in flight. Said from the point of view of the pursuing host. Or (2),
In the van of the flying host. The Schol. on Phoen. 409 says, φασὶ .. τὸν Ἀδραστον .. μόνον φυγάδα σωθῆναι ὑπὸ τοῦ ἰδίου ἵππου Ἀρείονος. Cp. Paus. 8.25. § 5.
109.
mvp-comment-66-1
χαλινῷ Either (1) literally
Riding with hastier rein, or (2) metaphorically,
With thy hastening bridle in his lips. The first (1) is best. If (2) were adopted, the reading ὀξυτόρῳ,
galling (see v. rr.), might be preferred.
110.
mvp-comment-67-1
*ὃς .. *Πολυνείκους The emendation of Scaliger improves the sense as well as the grammar. The imagery throughout represents not Polynices, but his Argive ally. The subject of the single fight between the two brothers is passed lightly over, as unsuited to a triumphal hymn.
111.
mvp-comment-68-1
ἀρθεὶς.. ἐξ ἀμφιλόγων
Carried forth in consequence of the doubtful quarrel (the quarrel and debate) of Polynices. ἀρθείς is said with allusion to αἴρειν στόλον, but also suggests the image of the bird mounting in air. Cp. Il. 13. 63, of the hawk, ἀπ' αἰγίλιπος πέτρης περιμήκεος ἀρθείς, Eur. Phoen. 636-637. For the play on the name of Polynices, see Essay on Language § 44. p. 82.
113.
mvp-comment-69-1
The omission of ὡs in this line, which Herm. suggested, is hardly necessary, although it does not impair the sense. The correspondence of strophe and antistrophe does not extend strictly to the anapaests, although the anapaestic systems in this passage are nearly of the same length.
114.
mvp-comment-70-1
λευκῆς χιόνος πτέρυγι See Essay on Language § 9. p. 11, and cp. l. 106.
114.
mvp-comment-70-2
στεγανός
Covered all over; i. e. There were no gaps in their array.
115-116.
mvp-comment-71-1
πολλῶν μεθ᾽ ὅπλων | ξύν θ᾽ ἱπποκόμοις κορύθεσσι
Accompanied with many a shield and armed with many a helm.
117.
mvp-comment-72-1
στάς
Staying his flight, like the bird of prey preparing to stoop. At this point the image, which has hitherto grown in distinctness, becomes less definite, the figure of an eagle passing into that of a flying dragon, with spears for teeth. Cp. Shak. K. John, 2. 1,
O, now doth Death Line his dead chaps with steel, etc. Also the image in Milton's Samson Agonistes, 11. 1692-1696.
117.
mvp-comment-72-2
φονώσαισιν Boeckh's emendation at once cures the metre and supplies a poetical touch which corresponds to the explanation of the Scholiast, ταῖς τῶν φονῶν ἐρώσαις λόγχαις. It is confirmed by the reading of L² pr. See v. rr.
118.
mvp-comment-73-1
ἀμφιχανὼν.. στόμα
Yawning round our seven-mouthed gates.
120.
mvp-comment-74-1
ἔβα
He went his way. For the use of the aorist of βαίνω in this sense, cp. Od. 22. 249, καὶ δή οἱ Μέντωρ μὲν ἔβη, κενὰ εὔγματα εἰπών: Τr. 115, βάντ᾽ ἐπιόντα τ',
Some gone, others coming on.
121.
mvp-comment-75-1
γένυσιν
With his jaws. Instrumental dative.
121.
mvp-comment-75-2
πλησθῆναί τε καὶ ἑλεῖν For the change of subject in these lines, cp. Aj. 458, ἐχθαίρομαι, μισεῖ δέ, κ.τ.λ. And for στεφάνωμα πύργων, cp. Pind. Ol. 8. 32, Ἰλίῳ μέλλοντες ἐπὶ στέφανον τεύξαι : Hom. h. Dem. 151, .. κρήδεμνα πόληος | εἰρύαται ...
124.
mvp-comment-76-1
τοῖος .. δράκοντι (1)
Such din of war was spread about his rear by the reluctant snake, no easy matter to subdue. So the Scholiast, who wrote τὸ δὲ ἀντιπάλῳ δράκοντι ἀντὶ τοῦ ὑπὸ τοῦ ἀντιπάλου δράκοντος, ὡς Ἀχιλῆϊ δαμασθείς (Il. 22. 55). Or (2) δυσχείρωμα may be taken to mean the act rather than the object of victory (cp. O. Τ. 560, θανασίμῳ χειρώματι), and the sense may be,
Such din of war encompassed him, issuing in a hard-won victory for the serpent matching his foe. In this case it will make little difference to read the genitive. Or, (3) if the genitive is read (Wecklein), the words may be taken in yet another way:
Such din of war harassed him from behind, the hard-to-be-subdued might of the serpent, who was a match for his foe. The genitive is given as an alternative reading by the 1st hand of L, and is supported by V (Ven. 468). But the dative is alone recognised by the Scholiast.
124.
mvp-comment-76-2
The δράκων is certainly the emblem of Thebes, and the eagle and snake are in conflict, as in Il. 12. 201, foll., where also the serpent struggles and escapes : ὁ δ᾽ οὔπω λήθετο χάρμης, | κόψε γὰρ αὐτὸν ἔχοντα κατὰ στήθος παρὰ δειρὴν | ἰδνωθεὶς ὀπίσω· ὁ δ᾽ ἀπὸ ἕθεν ἧκε χαμάζε, κ.τ.λ. Hor. Carm. 4. 4, 11,
Nunc in reluctantes dracones | Egit amor dapis atque pugnae.
129.
mvp-comment-77-1
πολλῷ ῥεύματι προσνισσομένους
Coming on in full proud stream. Like a great river filling its banks.
130.
mvp-comment-78-1
χρυσοῦ καναχῆς ὑπερόπτης]
Despiser of the clank of gold. Cp. Aesch. Agam. 776, τὰ χρυσόπαστα δ᾽ ἐσθλὰ σὺν πίνῳ χερῶν | παλιντρόποις ὄμμασιν | λιπούσ', ὅσια προσέβα: S. c. T. 481-485. The Scholiast, who wrote καὶ τὴν τοῦ χρυσοῦ φαντασίαν ὑπερβεβηκότας τῇ ἰδίᾳ ὑπεροψίᾳ, seems to have read ὑπερόπτας, which appears in the margin of some copies. The ὑπεροψία of his interpretation may have given rise to ὑπεροπτίας, as in conjunction with this it has suggested ὑπεροπλίαις, (Vauvillers, who compares II. 1. 205). Musgr. and Böckh are contented with ὑπεροπτείας, abstr. noun of ὑπερόπτης, gen. with ῥεύματι,
In floods of supercilious pride.
131.
mvp-comment-79-1
παλτῷ ῥιπτεῖ πυρί (1)
Hurls down with brandished thunderbolt. Or possibly (2) ῥιπτεῖ is a more emphatic substitute for βάλλει =
Smites from afar. The word παλτῷ suggests the zig-zag flicker of the lightning.
131.
mvp-comment-79-2
βαλβίδων .. ἀλαλάζαι
As, having reached the topmost goal, he was eager to raise the cry of victory. βαλβίδες are the end of the race-course, metaphorically applied here to the top of the wall to which Capaneus had climbed, and so receiving the epithet ἄκρων.
131.
mvp-comment-79-3
βαλβίδων may be also taken as abl. gen, with ῥιπτεῖ, and only resumed with ἄκρων. But this is questionable.
133.
mvp-comment-80-1
The subject of
ὁρμῶντα (Capaneus) is anticipated from the following lines, viz. ὅς, κ.τ.λ.
134.
mvp-comment-81-1
ἀντιτύπᾳ This conj. of Porson has been generally received.
He fell upon the earth, that smote him again; i.e.
He fell with a shock. The Scholia explain ἀντίτυπα, which is against metre.
134.
mvp-comment-81-2
τανταλωθείς
Swung. As if the scale that had been the lightest had suddenly become the heaviest. Cp. Hom. Il. 22. 212, ῥέπε δ᾽ Ἕκτορος αἴσιμον ἦμαρ, | ᾤχετο δ᾽ εἰς Ἀἰδαο.
135.
mvp-comment-82-1
πυρφόρος
With the fire in his hand, with which he had threatened the town. O. C. 1318: Aesch. S. c. T. 422, ff.
135.
mvp-comment-82-2
ὁρμᾷ Observe the tautology after ὁρμῶντ', supra.
136-137.
mvp-comment-83-1
Had breathed against us in frenzy with blasts of malignant winds. Cp. infra 929-930: O. C. 612 and note: Aesch. S. c. T. 115, πνοαῖς Ἄρεος.
138.
mvp-comment-84-1
εἶχε δ᾽ ἄλλᾳ τὰ μέν· κτ.λ.]
This was in one direction: whilst on other men terrible fortune was dispensed by mighty Ares rushing on them like a steed harnessed upon our right hand. For the use of ἔχω with the locative adv., see L. and S. s. v. ἔχω, Β. 11. Ι. The reading in the text is suggested by that of V (Ven. 468), a MS. of the 13th century, which, together with many obvious corruptions, has preserved some good readings. See on O. T. 1526. This MS. reading is curiously near the conj. of Musgrave, εἶχε δ᾽ ἄλλᾳ τὰ δείν᾽. The epithet, as read in the text, may be suggested by a forefeeling of what is coming. Even the end of Capaneus is less awful than that of Eteocles and Polynices (144 ff.). Hermann's reading, εἶχε δ᾽ ἄλλᾳ μὲν ἄλ | λᾳ· τὰ δ᾽ ἐπ᾿ ἄλλοις, makes good enough sense; Plat. Rep. 2. 369 Β, οὕτω δὴ ἄρα παραλαμβάνων ἄλλος ἄλλον ἐπ᾿ ἄλλου, τὸν δ᾽ ἐπ᾿ ἄλλου χρείᾳ : but the synaphea between the cretics and the choriambi is questionable. And the same objection applies to Wecklein's εἶχε δ' ἄλλᾳ τὰ τοῦδ᾽· | ἄλλα δ᾽ ἐπ᾿ ἄλλοις.
140.
mvp-comment-85-1
δεξιόσειρος The War-god taking part with Thebes and bounding hither and thither over the plain is compared to the σειραῖος ἵππος, whose free action was so important at critical moments in the chariot-race. Cp. El. 721-722, δεξιὸν δ᾽ ἀνεὶς | σειραῖον ἵππον εἶργε τὸν προσκείμενον: Aesch. Agam. 841-842, μόνος δ' Οδυσσεύς, ὅσπερ οὐχ ἑκὼν ἔπλει | ζευχθείς ἕτοιμος ἦν ἐμοὶ σειραφόρος. The reading δεξιόχειρος is probably erroneous. It is acknowledged as a variant by the Scholiast.
141.
mvp-comment-86-1
Capaneus, who is one of the seven adversaries, is already disposed of. But the general description in 141-143, is only preparatory to the chief statement, 144-147, from which, however, the chorus pass quickly, as they approach it with aversion. What is of the best omen must be kept to the front. For ἴσοι πρὸς ἴσους, cp. Hdt. 9. 49, ἴσοι πρὸς ἴσους ἄριθμον μαχεσόμεθα.
142-143.
mvp-comment-87-1
'Left the tribute of their brazen panoplies to Zeus, who turns the battle.'
144-147.
mvp-comment-88-1
Neither could despoil the other, since both were slain. And the citizens could not dedicate to Zeus arms polluted with kindred blood.
145.
mvp-comment-89-1
αὑτοῖν i. e. ἀλλήλοιν: ἑαυτούς, ἀλλήλους. Hesych.
146.
mvp-comment-90-1
δικρατεῖς λόγχας στήσαντε
Having pointed their two spears, of which either was victorious. The spears are not hurled, as commonly in the Iliad, but held firmly as the combatants rush at each other. Cp. Hom. Il. 4. 307 (quoted by Donaldson), ὃς δέ κ᾿ ἀνὴρ ἀπὸ ὧν ὀχέων ἕτερ᾽ ἅρμαθ' ἵκηται | ἔγχει ὀρεξάσθω, ἐπεὶ ἢ πολὺ φέρτερον οὕτως.
147.
mvp-comment-91-1
'Both have their portion in mutual death: i.e. Each strove for sole inheritance, but they share equally-in a death;' which each has given and each has received. See on l. 57. The spirit of the words is the same as those of Aesch. S. c. T. 726 ff.: O. C. 790.
149.
mvp-comment-92-1
ἀντιχαρεῖσα
Exchanging looks of joy. Cp. χαίρειν γέλωτι, Χen. Cyr. 8.1.33.
149.
mvp-comment-92-2
Θήβη, as in Pindar, is the personification of Θήβαι, for which it is used consistently throughout this play. Cp. Od. 7. 80, εὐρυάγυιαν Ἀθήνην.
150.
mvp-comment-93-1
ἐκ μὲν δὴ πολέμων .. λησμοσύvav
Turning from the present wars, appoint ye forgetfulness of them. For the pleonastic use of ἐκ, see Essay on Language § 19. p. 27. The reading θέσθαι, which has good MS. authority and preserves the metrical correspondence with l. 137, is retained by some editors as an infinitive for imperative. Cp. infr. 1142, μολεῖν. For the expression, cp. Eur. Phoen. 1584,5, ὡς ὥρα τάφου | μνήμην τίθεσθαι.
153.
mvp-comment-94-1
παννυχίοις Cp. Ο. Τ. 1090: Aesch. Ag. 23, 24. καὶ χορῶν κατάστασιν | πολλῶν ἐν Ἄργει τῆσδε συμφορᾶς χάριν.
153.
mvp-comment-94-2
ὁ Θήβας δ'. . ἄρχοι
And let Bacchus, Thebe's God. who shakes the earth (with revelry), lead on the dance. Schol. ὁ Θήβας Βακχεῖος, ὁ Θηβαγενὴς Διόνυσος, ὁ τῆς Θήβης πολίτης, ὁ ἐλελίχθων, ἄρχοι τῆς χορείας. See Essay on Language § 9. p. 11.
156.
mvp-comment-95-1
The metre requires either the addition of one (or three) anapaests or the omission of νεοχμός. Dindorf's supposition that νεοχμός νεαραῖσι has grown in some way out of νεοχμοῖσι is in itself probable enough, but the omission of some word like *ἄρχων after βασιλεύς is equally so. The spectator is thus reminded that Creon is young in power.
157-158.
mvp-comment-96-1
νεαραῖσι .. συντυχίαις In consequence of the recent god-sent fortune. These words are to be joined with the whole sentence, though chiefly with ἐρέσσων. Creon's accession, his coming, and the counsel which he brings, all follow closely on the events of the war. The question is, what is that counsel?
159.
mvp-comment-97-1
τίνα δή This is preferable to τινὰ δή, which Aldus printed from Ven. 467 (V3).
159.
mvp-comment-97-2
On
ἐρέσσων =
Moving,
Advancing. see Essay on Language p. 87, and cp. Aj. 251, τοίας ἐρέσσουσιν ἀπειλάς.
160-161.
mvp-comment-98-1
ὅτι. προὔθετο
That he hath appointed. ὅτι gives the reason of the question.
160.
mvp-comment-99-1
σύγκλητον
Specially convened. The word is used, after the analogy of the σύγκλητος ἐκκλησία at Athens, for an assembly specially summoned by the στρατηγός. λέσχη is less formal than βουλή. Cp. Ο. C. 166.
161.
mvp-comment-100-1
προὔθετο The middle voice implies that Creon had summoned the elders of his own motion. So καλέσσατο of Achilles in Il. 1. 54.
162.
mvp-comment-101-1
κοινῷ κηρύγματι πέμψας
Having cited us by a message sent to us all.
162.
mvp-comment-101-2
κοινῷ =
Inclusive. πέμψας] i. e. στείλας πομποῖσιν, as Creon expresses himself in ll. 164-165. 162-210. Creon's first error is not mere self-will, but an excessive zeal for the honour of the state, to which all private feelings must give way (183-184, 187-190). His spirit of self-assertion is however already felt, esp. in ll. 173, 191, 207-10. And the unconsciousness of one young in power is shown in the self-inculpating words in ll. 175-177. He characteristically dwells on the virtue of loyalty (165-169, 209-210) and the crime of rebellion (199-202): and his passionate nature is betrayed by the exaggerated expression in l. 208. Cp. O. T. 216 ff. and note. The frequent occurrence of the Ist personal pronoun is a significant feature of both these speeches.
162.
mvp-comment-101-3
τὰ μὲν δὴ πόλεος
As for the state. This form of expression suits the introduction of a subject before the form of sentence is determined. πόλιν, rather than τὰ πόλεος, is the object of σείσαντες and ὤρθωσαν.
162.
mvp-comment-101-4
ἀσφαλῶς
Unharmed, = ἄνεν τοῦ σφαλῆναι,
163.
mvp-comment-102-1
ὥρθωσαν
Have righted the vessel of the state.
165-166.
mvp-comment-103-1
τὰ Λαΐου. κράτη
Knowing that you ever duly reverenced the enthroned authority of Laius. Λαΐου is governed by θρόνων κράτη taken as one word, θρόνων being added to supplement κράτη. σέβοντας and μένοντας, infr. 166, 169, are imperfects = ὅτι ἐσέβετε .. ἐμένετε,
167.
mvp-comment-104-1
ὤρθου
Kept on a safe course: i. e.
Governed prosperously. The word recalls the happiness of the first period of Oedipus' rule. Cp. Plat. Men. P. 99 C, ᾗ οἱ πολιτικοὶ ἄνδρες χρώμενοι τὰς πόλεις ὀρθοῦσιν : Phaedr. 244 B. 168-169. ἀμφὶ .. φρονήμασιν].
Ye still remained loyal to their issue with unshaken minds. ἀμφί,
Surrounding, as ready to defend. The apodosis is made to suit the latter protasis, ἐπεὶ διώλετο, and that of the former protasis, ἡνίκ' . . πόλιν (viz. ἐκείνῳ ὁμοίως πειθομένους οι the like), is thus absorbed.
167.
mvp-comment-104-2
κείνων . . παῖδας i. e. Sons of Oedipus and grandsons of Laius.
172.
mvp-comment-105-1
αὐτόχειρι
Fratricidal. See Essay on Language p. 91.
174.
mvp-comment-106-1
γένους κατ᾿ ἀγχιστεῖα
By privilege of being nearest in kindred (ὡς ἀγχιστεύων) to the dead. Cp. πρωτεία, etc.
175.
mvp-comment-107-1
παντὸς ἀνδρός
Of any man, and therefore of me.
176.
mvp-comment-108-1
ψυχήν. . φρόνημα.. γνώμην As observed in the Essay on Language pp. 91-3, the opposition between these words is chiefly formal. So far as there is any difference between them, ψυχήν is
mind, or
nature, φρόνημα,
spirit, or
way of thinking, (cp. infr. 207), and γνώμην,
judgment or
meaning.
176-177.
mvp-comment-109-1
πρὶν ἂν ἀρχαῖς.. φανῇ “Until he be seen in his true colours through being tried in office and administration.' According to the saying of Bias, ἀρχὴ τὸν ἄνδρα δείξει (Arist. Eth. Nic. 5. 1. 16). There is an allusion to the detection of spurious coin through wear. Cp. Aesch. Ag. 390-392, κακοῦ δὲ χαλκοῦ τρόπον | τρίβῳτε καὶ προσβολαῖς | μελαμπαγὴς πέλει | δικαιωθείς (where Herm. says, 'Vereor autem ne non de lapide Lydio loquatur poeta, sed aes adulterinum dicat, quod usu tritum amisso falso splendore cognoscitur'): Hdt. 7. 10, ὥσπερ τὸν χρυσὸν τὸν ἀκήρατον, αὐτὸν μὲν ἐπ᾿ ἑαυτοῦ οὐ διαγινώσκομεν, ἐπεὰν δὲ
178.
mvp-comment-110-1
ἐμοὶ γάρ The connection is not strictly logical. γάρ explains not the difficulty of discerning the difference between rulers, but the essential point on which the difference turns. In setting forth this, Creon also declares the spirit of his own policy. He is feeling his way with the elders, of whose submission he is not perfectly sure, and
beats about the bush before coming to the point with them. Hence he repeats the same thought in different words.
178-183.
mvp-comment-111-1
The sentiment of these lines is closely parallel to Plat. Legg. 9. 856 B, ὃς ἂν ἄγων εἰς ἀρχὴν ἄνθρωπον δουλῶται μὲν τοὺς νόμους, ἑταιρείας δὲ τὴν πόλιν ὑπήκοον ποιῇ, καὶ βιαίως δὲ πᾶν τοῦτο πράττων καὶ στάσιν ἐγείρων παρανομῇ· τοῦτον δὴ διανοεῖσθαι δεῖ πάντων πολεμιώτατον ὅλῃ τῇ πόλει, τὸν δὲ κοινωνοῦντα μὲν τῶν τοιούτων μηδενί, τῶν μεγίστων δὲ μετέχοντα ἀρχῶν ἐν τῇ πόλει, λεληθότα τε ταῦτα αὐτὸν ἢ μὴ λεληθότα, δειλίᾳ δ᾽ ὑπὲρ πατρίδος αὑτοῦ μὴ τιμωρούμενον, δεῖ δεύτερον ἡγεῖσθαι τὸν τοιοῦτον πολίτην κακῇ.
180.
mvp-comment-112-1
ἐγκλείσας Locked up. Cp. Shakespeare, Richard II, 1. 3,
Within my mouth you have engaoled my tongue, | Doubly portcullised with my teeth and lips.
Infr. 505, εἰ μὴ γλῶσσαν ἐγκλείσαι φόβος.
182.
mvp-comment-113-1
μείζον᾽.. ἀντί Essay on Language § 19. p. 27. Cp. Od. 7. 216, στυγερῇ ἐπὶ γαστέρι κύντερον.
183.
mvp-comment-114-1
οὐδαμοῦ λέγω Plat. Gorg. 456 C, οὐδαμοῦ ἂν φανῆναι, supr. 32. 184 ff. Having shown what makes the good and bad ruler, Creon declares his own intentions, first generally, and then (192 ff.) with reference to Eteocles and Polynices. γάρ implies that his opinion will be proved by his acts. In both statements (178-183, 184-190) the stress is laid on the duty of renouncing friendship with the public enemy (182-183, 187-188), which is the ground of the present edict, Polynices being presumably Creon's private friend: supr. 174.
186.
mvp-comment-115-1
στείχουσαν ἀστοῖς
Menacing my people. Cp. supr. l. 10: Aesch. Prom. 1089-1090, τοιάδ᾽ ἐπ᾿ ἐμοὶ ῥιπὴ Διόθεν, | τεύχουσα φόβον, στείχει φανερῶς. For the dative, Essay on Language § 12. p. 18.
187.
mvp-comment-116-1
δυσμενή χθονός
Who is my country's foe. The genitive avoids the awkwardness of two datives, χθονί and ἐμαυτῷ, coming close together.
189-190.
mvp-comment-117-1
She it is who preserves us, and we make friends only while she carries us in the course of public safety; i. e. The friendship that is made against the interest of the state is hollow and insecure. Cp. Thuc. 2. 60: (Pericles loq.) ἐγὼ γὰρ ἡγοῦμαι πόλιν πλείω ξύμπασαν ὀρθουμένην ὠφελεῖν τοὺς ἰδιώτας, ἢ καθ᾿ ἕκαστον τῶν πολιτῶν εὐπραγοῦσαν, ἀθρόαν δὲ σφαλλομένην, κ.τ.λ.: Zaleuc. ap. Stob. (Mullach, p. 543), πόλις γὰρ εὖ ἀγομένη μεγίστη ὄρθωσίς ἐστι, καὶ ἐν τούτῳ πάντα ἔνι, καὶ τούτου σωζομένου πάντα σώζεται καὶ τούτου φθειρομένου πάντα διαφθείρεται: Shakespeare. King John, 3. 1, Pand.
All form is formless, order orderless, | Save what is opposite to England's love.
On the change of pronouns (ἥδε.. ταύτης), see Essay on Language § 22. p. 32. The article in τοὺς φίλους points the reference to ll. 182-183.
191.
mvp-comment-118-1
τοιοίσδε νόμοισι
By such principles as these. Cp. infr. 908, τίνος νόμου δὴ ταῦτα πρὸς χάριν λέγω;
192.
mvp-comment-119-1
ἀδελφὰ τῶνδε i. e.
In full accord with them. Cp. Plat. Rep. 4. 421 C, ἆρ᾽ οὖν .. καὶ τὸ τούτου ἀδελφὸν δύξω σοι μετρίως λέγειν; Lys. 2. 64, ἀδελφὰ τὰ βουλεύματα τοῖς ἔργοις : Ο. C. 1262, ἀδελφὰ . . τούτοισιν.
193.
mvp-comment-120-1
τῶν ἀπ᾿ Οιδίπου For the pleo- 190 195 200 nastic use of the preposition, see above 150, 182, and notes.
195.
mvp-comment-121-1
πάντ᾿ ἀριστεύσας δορί
After proving himself in all ways the bravest in the war. For the aor., cp. Hdt. 9. 74, alib.
196.
mvp-comment-122-1
τὰ πάντ᾽ ἐφαγνίσαι ‘Το add all sacred offerings.'
199.
mvp-comment-123-1
θεοὺς τοὺς ἐγγενεῖς
The gods of his race; i. e. Those honoured by the Cadmeans. The gods of the race also include the ancestors of the race. Infr. 938, θεοὶ προγενεῖς.
201.
mvp-comment-124-1
πρῆσαι κατάκρας The city (γῆν = πόλιν) is thought of as the main object of the verb.
201.
mvp-comment-124-2
ἠθέλησε δ' The correspondence of clauses (with μέν and δέ) is not perfect, the antithesis being due to afterthought.
201.
mvp-comment-124-3
αἵματος .. πάσασθαι ‘Το repast him with blood of his own kin.' The expression suits the Epic colouring of the whole speech.
202.
mvp-comment-125-1
τοὺς δέ
The rest; i. e. Those not slain, as implied in the opposition το αἵματος κοινοῦ πάσασθαι. 203.
202.
mvp-comment-125-2
ἐκκεκήρυκται Musgrave's correction has been generally adopted, lopted, and is probably right. The impersonal verb gives absoluteness to the expression. Wolff construes the inf. with λέγω in 198 (deleting the comma after τοῦδε), and Wecklein reads λέγω for τάφῳ. The slight corruption is probably due to a reminiscence of supr. 27.
205.
mvp-comment-126-1
δέμας is accusative of limitation, and ἄθαπτον and ἐδεστόν are masculine.
To leave him unburied, to have his flesh consumed by birds and dogs.
206.
mvp-comment-127-1
αἰκισθέντ᾿ ἰδεῖν
A spectacle of indignity. Lit.
Outraged to behold. The infinitive is added after the participle, which is masculine.
207.
mvp-comment-128-1
Cp. 176, ψυχήν τε καὶ φρόνημα καὶ γνώμην.
209-210.
mvp-comment-129-1
θανών | καὶ ζῶν
In death as well as in life. The first word is the more emphatic. Essay on Language p. 78.
211-212.
mvp-comment-130-1
For the construction of the accusatives τὸν .. δύσνουν. . τὸν εὐμενῆ, after σοὶ ταῦτ᾽ ἀρέσκει as = οὕτω τάσσεις, or the like, cр. О. С. 1120, τέκν᾽ εἰ φανέντ᾽ ἄελπτα μηκύνω λόγον, and see Essay on Language § 16. p. 22. No emendation is necessary.
213.
mvp-comment-131-1
παντί πού γ᾽ ἔνεστί σοι γε has been thought a useless insertion, and Dindorf reads πάντι που πάρεστί σοι. But δέ γε is not unsuitable to the connection, introducing the second premiss of an implied argument. The words of the chorus express the barest acquiescence in the will of the ruler. Cp. infr. 509, σοὶ δ᾽ ὑπίλλουσι στόμα. They hide their disapproval, and that is all. Cp. Richard III, 4. 2, 21,
Buck. Your grace may do your pleasure.
215.
mvp-comment-132-1
ὡς ἂν.. εἰρημένων Sc. οὕτω πράσσετε. The subjunctive with ὡς ἄν follows the implied imperative.
Act, then, so as to see my words obeyed. Cp. Ο. Τ. 325, ὡς οὖν μηδ᾽ ἐγὼ ταὐτὸν πάθω : Plat. Phaedo 59 Ε, παραγγέλλουσιν, ὅπως ἂν τῇδε τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τελευτήσῃ. The ellipse is idiomatic. It is not to be supposed either that Creon hesitates, or that the elders interrupt him.
218.
mvp-comment-133-1
τί.. ἔτι 'What means then this charge further given by you to another?' τοῦτο, cogn. acc. = σκοποὶ εἶναι τῶν εἰρημένων : τί, suppl. predic. = With what meaning?'
To what effect? ἄλλῳ = to another than the appointed guards. ἄλλο gives a poorer sense,
What then is this other thing which you enjoin besides?
220.
mvp-comment-134-1
ὃς .. ἐρᾷ
As to be in love with death. For the irregular correlative (οὕτω .. ὅς), see Essay on Language § 22. p. 36. There is a confusion of οὐκ ἔστιν ὃς ἐρᾷ and οὐκ ἔστιν οὕτω μῶρος ὥστε ἐρᾶν.
222.
mvp-comment-135-1
The emphatic position of ἄνδρας at the beginning of the line shows that the word is intended to mark Creon's unconsciousness of the real source of danger. So infr. 1. 248. Cp. Aesch. Ag. 1110: O. T. 928, al. So ὑπ᾿ ἐλπίδων shows how incapable he is of divining the motive of Antigone.
223-330.
mvp-comment-136-1
The half-comic or rustic character of the watchman in this play is an extension of the common character of the
messenger, whose natural rudeness of speech and thought brings into greater prominence the horror or pathos of the events he describes. The grotesqueness disappears when he speaks of the action of Antigone in 407-440. The employment of this artifice by Sophocles arises from the same motive to which Shakespeare gave a far wider range in such creations as the
gravediggers in Hamlet, and the
rural fellow in Antony and Cleopatra. The Messenger in the Trachiniae, the Corinthian in the Oedipus Tyrannus, Menelaus in the Ajax, the pretended Shipmaster in the Philoctetes, afford the same sort of contrast to the more tragic personages: and the superstition of the Coloniatae may be compared with the cowardice of the Phrygian slave in the Orestes of Euripides.
223-330.
mvp-comment-136-2
The vulgarity of the common-place Athenian of the fifth century в.с. takes the form of misplaced subtlety of wit. Cp.
Shak. Hamlet, 5. 1
,
We must speak by the card, or equivocation will undo us. The age is grown so picked, that the toe of the peasant comes so near the heel of the courtier, he galls his kibe.
223-224.
mvp-comment-137-1
I am out of breath, but not with speed. It is not that I ran nimbly hither. Aristotle, Rhet. 3. 14. § 10, quotes 223 thus, Ἄναξ, ἐρῶ μὲν οὐχ ὅπως σπουδῆς ὕπο.., adding, as if from the reply of Creon, τί φροιμιάζῃ; But it is as unsafe to follow his authority in this line, as it would be to substitute τί φροιμιάζῃ for εὖ γε στοχάζει in l. 241. It is evident that he is quoting from memory: and, although it is curious that the Scholiast uses the same word in his explanation, οὐ τοῦτο λέγω, ὅτι μετὰ σπουδῆς ἀσθμαίνων πρὸς σὲ πορεύομαι, yet this does not amount to a proof that this is the right reading. σπουδῆς may be the word which would be more naturally used in prose, but it is less pointed than τάχους in this connection. κοῦφον ἐξάρας πόδα is added in explanation of τάχους ὕπο. ἐξάρας,
having set forth from the point of departure, like αἴρειν στόλον.
225.
mvp-comment-138-1
For I had many stoppages by reason of thoughts, i. e. My thoughts cried halt to me (ἐπέστησάν με) again and again. Cp. Αj. 869, κοὐδεὶς ἐφίσταταί με συμμαθεῖν τόπος. The genitive φροντίδων is part causal, My thoughts checked me,' and part final,
I stopped to think.
226.
mvp-comment-139-1
ὁδοῖς
As I came. Essay on Language § 14. p. 20. Ср. О. С. 553, ὁδοῖς ἐν ταῖσδ᾽ ἀκούων.
Hearing of you on your coming hither.
227.
mvp-comment-140-1
This mockery of dialectic is curiously significant of the earlier stage of rhetoric.
229.
mvp-comment-141-1
κεἰ has the authority of the oldest MS. The reading of Par. A, καὶ .. ἀνδρός, has a certain liveliness, but is perhaps too abrupt.
231.
mvp-comment-142-1
τοιαῦθ᾽ ἑλίσσων
Turning round and round such thoughts as these. Cp. Plat. Phil. 19 (of the boyish dialectician), πάντα κινεῖ λόγον ἄσμενος, τότε μὲν ἐπὶ θάτερα κυκλῶν καὶ συμφορῶν εἰς ἕν, τότε δὲ πάλιν ἀνειλίττων καὶ διαμερίζων.
231.
mvp-comment-142-2
σπουδῇ βραδύς The reading of L, σχολῇ βραδύς,
Slowly because I stopped, is not pointed enough, and it seems probable that an oxymoron is intended in this as in the following line. The correction adopted by the Scholiast, σχολῇ ταχύς, secures this in rather an awkward way. That of Seyffert, which is here adopted (for the collocation of words, cp. the proverb σπεῦδε βραδέως), appears far more probable.
234.
mvp-comment-143-1
This line was well explained by Dindorf in 1860:
Dicturus erat σοὶ φράσοντα, sed propter verba interposita, κεί τὸ μηδὲν ἐξερῶ, mutata orationis forma infert φράσω δ ὅμως cum δε particula, ut Oed. T. 302, πόλιν μέν, εἰ καὶ μὴ βλέπεις, φρονεῖς δ' ὅμως | οἷᾳ νόσῳ σύνεστιν.' Essay on Language § 35. p. 59.
234.
mvp-comment-143-2
τὸ μηδέν ῾Α vain report,' because the doer of the deed was still unknown.
235.
mvp-comment-144-1
τῆς has the emphatic force of an antecedent:
This hope, that ... δεδραγμένος] This reading is implied in the second scholium on the passage, ἀντειλημμένος τῆς ἐλπίδος ἐλήλυθα, and appears in the text of E and V³. (whence Aldus had it), and as a marginal reading of Aug. b. and of V¹.
Clinging fast by the hope, is a natural and forcible expression, well suited to the style of the Φύλαξ : whereas ἐλπίδος πεφραγμένος or πεφαργμένοs, whether in the sense of Shut out from hope,' or
Fortified by the hope, is not really admissible.
236.
mvp-comment-145-1
That I cannot suffer anything but what is fated for me. Cp. Aesch. S. c. Τ. 263, πείσομαι τὸ μόρσιμον.
238.
mvp-comment-146-1
τὸ γάρ For the
light ending, cp infr. 327, 409, Ο. Τ. 553-554. τὸ δὲ | πάθημ᾽ ὁποῖον φῇς παθεῖν δίδασκέ με, ib. 995-996, 1056-1057.
239.
mvp-comment-147-1
ὅστις ἦν ὁ δρῶν i. e. τὸν δρῶντα, ὅστις ἦν,
The unknown doer of the deed.
241-242.
mvp-comment-148-1
(1)
You aim carefully, and fence the business off from yourself all round. Some editors read τί φροιμιάζει; from Ar. Rhet. 3. 14, § 10, quoted above. But though the Scholiast of the Rhetoric says τὸ δὲ τί φροιμιάζῃ τοῦ Κρέοντός ἐστι λέγοντος, it is much more probable that the words are a separate quotation from Eur. I. T. 1162. See Cope's edition of Ar. Rhet. vol. 3. p. 175. Others explain the text (2),
You lay the ground carefully and hedge your approaches closely round, as if in preparing a stance to watch for game. According to Pollux, 5, 36, στοχασμός, στοχάς, and στόχος, were terms used in describing the setting of a hunting-net: καλεῖται δ᾽ αὐτῶν (τῶν ἀρκύων) ἡ στάσις, στοιχισμός, στοίχος, στόχος, στοχὰς καὶ στοχασμός· στοχὰς δὲ καλεῖται καὶ χειροποιητά τινα οἰκοδομήματα ἐκ λίθων, ἢ ὕλης ὑπὲρ τὴν γῆν ἀναστήματα, κατὰ χρείαν τῆς τῶν δικτύων ἐξ ἴσου στάσεως, εἴ τι κοῖλον εἴη περὶ τὸ ἀρκύστατον.
243.
mvp-comment-149-1
τὰ δεινὰ .. πολύν The reply, as often elsewhere, refers to the first part of the previous speech. Cp. O. Т. 361. The frigid tautology belongs to the character of the Φύλαξ.
244.
mvp-comment-150-1
εἰτ᾿ ἀπαλλαχθεὶς ἄπει
And be off with you. The Scholiast acutely remarks that these impatient words are intended to hold out the hope of impunity, which is withdrawn again in the angry threats of ll. 305, foll.
246.
mvp-comment-151-1
Some one has buried the corpse and has disappeared, after not only sprinkling dry dust upon the flesh, but adding all due rites. This last refers to the libation. Cp. supr. 196-197: infr. 430-431. The surprise was increased by observing the completeness of the act. There is a stress on the participles. Essay on Language p. 75 β, 94, 4.
248.
mvp-comment-152-1
τίς ἀνδρῶν Cp. supra 222, and note.
249.
mvp-comment-153-1
οὔτε .. ἐκβολή
No dint of pick-axe, nor earth turned up with hoe.'
250.
mvp-comment-154-1
στύφλος .. καὶ χέρσος
Hard and bare. χέρσος γῆ is untilled land, and so here,
Undisturbed by implements of husbandry. Cp. infr. 773, 1197.
251.
mvp-comment-155-1
ἀρρώξ .. τροχοῖσιν
Unbroken, and with no mark of wheels. ἐπημαξευμένη τροχοῖσιν] Lit. Carted over with wheels.' Essay on Language p. 88, note.
252.
mvp-comment-156-1
ἀλλ'.. ἦν
But whoever did it was one who left no trace.
253.
mvp-comment-157-1
ὁ πρῶτος .. ἡμεροσκόπος
Our first look-out-man for the day. ἡμεροσκόπος in Xen. Hell. 1. 1. 2, is a watchman who stands at his post at daybreak. Cp. ἡμεροφύλαξ, ib. 7. 2. 6, 7. Antigone's act preceded the setting of this watch.
254.
mvp-comment-158-1
θαῦμα δυσχερές
Α sight of wonder and dismay.
255.
mvp-comment-159-1
τυμβήρης.. κόνις
Not covered with a mound, but sprinkled with dust as by one avoiding pollution. Hor. Od. 1. 28,
Debita jura vicesque superbae | Te maneant ipsum: precibus ibus non linquar inultis | Teque piacula nulla resolvent. | Quamquam festinas, non est mora longa, licebit | Injecto ter pulvere curras.
For the gen., cp. Tr. 768.
255.
mvp-comment-159-2
τυμβήρης For this use of the adjective, see Essay on Language § 23. p. 38.
258.
mvp-comment-160-1
οὐ σπάσαντος Cp. Aesch. Prom. 451, οὔτε.. δόμους.. οὐ ξυλουργίαν.
259.
mvp-comment-161-1
ἐν ἀλλήλοισιν Sc. τοῖς φύλαξιν.
Words of abuse were loudly bandied to and fro. Cp. Aesch. Prom. 200, στάσις δ᾽ ἐν ἀλλήλοισιν ὠροθύνετο, sc.
259.
mvp-comment-161-2
τοῖς δαίμοσιν.
260.
mvp-comment-162-1
φύλαξ ἐλέγχων φύλακα On the nominative out of construction in the clause in apposition, see Essay on Language § 33. p. 57. § 15. p. 21.
260.
mvp-comment-162-2
κἂν ἐγίγνετο
And it was threatening to come to blows at last. The combination of the imperfect with av here is peculiar, having a force intermediate between ἐγίγνετο and ἐγένετο ἄv; i. e. it was coming to this, that we should have come to blows.
262-263.
mvp-comment-163-1
The subtlety of the Φύλαξ deserts him in attempting to express his meaning. The perpetrator was every one and no one of us all every one in vague suspicion, and no one evidently: he escaped being known.' τις gives the indefiniteness required by the sense, = πως.
263.
mvp-comment-164-1
ἀλλ᾽ ἔφευγε *μὴ εἰδέναι (1) But he (the perpetrator) always escaped, so that we could not know him. Böckh and Donaldson read as in the text, interpreting (2) Every man' (πᾶς implied in οὐδείς, the affirmative elicited from the negative)
defended himself by pleading ignorance of the matter. For φεύγειν, * to urge a defensive plea,' cp. Aesch. Suppl. 390, and for the plea, μὴ εἰδέναι, Plat. Legg. 11. 936 E. But the plea of ignorance, although suitable in l. 266, is too special for this place, wherethe non-appearance of the criminal alone is in question. The meaning given above (1) is the same as that required by Hermann (see below), but is more simply expressed by the epexegesis, and the imperfect tense expresses the frustration of continued search. This interpretation involves a rare use of φεύγω, which is, however, analogous to a meaning of ἐκφεύγω that is not uncommon. Cp. Ο. Τ. 111, ἐκφεύγει δὲ τἀμελούμενον : Plat. Phil. 17, τὰ δὲ μέσα αὐτοὺς ἐκφεύγει. Other emendations are ἔφυγε τὸ μὴ εἰδέναι (Porson), explained by Erfurdt to mean
amoliens a se accusationem scire sese negaverat ; ἔφυγε τῷ μὴ εἰδέναι (Herm. 1839),
effugit, eo quod nesciebamus; ἔφευγε πᾶς τὸ μή,
every man pled Not guilty. (Dind.). 264-265. There are few traces of anything corresponding to the trial by ordeal in ancient times. Brunck quotes Virg. Aen. 11. 787,
Et medium freti pietate per ignem | Cultores multa premimus vestigia prima.
It seems to have existed in different places as a popular belief, but nowhere to have received positive legal sanction. For a trace of trial by combat' (in Scythia), see Hdt. 4. 180. Cp. also Ar. Lys. 133.
269.
mvp-comment-165-1
His verbis et sequentibus significatur terror quem Creontis auctoritas custodibus incutit.
(Dind.).
269.
mvp-comment-165-2
λέγει, κ.τ.λ. The sense is interrupted by the relative clause, but resumed in the words ἦν δ᾽ ὁ μῦθος in l. 272. For τις εἷς, cp. Thuc. 6. 61, καί τινα μίαν νύκτα, κ.τ.λ. The emphatic use of little words shows the common mind; cp. infr. 404, ὃν σὺ τὸν νέκυν, κ.τ.λ. Wolff and Weckl. join els with what follows: but the antithesis of eἷς πάντας is too pointless here. Cp. Plat. Rep. 6. 496 D, εἰς πᾶσιν ἀγρίοις ἀντέχειν.
274-275.
mvp-comment-166-1
κἀμὲ.. λαβεῖν
And the lot devotes me, wretched man, to be the recipient of this piece of luck. καθαιρεῖ is used much as in ἡ καθαιροῦσα ψῆφος, not by an extension of the technical sense, but with the same general mean- ing of
Fastening upon,
Bringing down,
Overtaking and subduing.
