Sophocles Antigone 251

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Nuntius

At mox domum ingressus comperiam, num quid etiam cohibendum clam tegat animo irato: quippe bene dicis; etenim haud sine periculo est nimium silentium.

Antigone. Sophocles. Berlin. 1806.

Sponsored by Perseus Project, Tufts University.

Funding provided by Tufts University.

Current edition Experimental

Latin (F. H. Bothe, 1806) (OCR draft) (Latin) (Latin (F. H. Bothe, 1806))

Provisional text from uncorrected OCR; expect errors.

Editions (12)

Greek (L. Benloew, 1858) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (L. Benloew, 1858)) — 251 focus

τροχοῖσιν, ἀλλ᾽ ἄσημος οὑργάτης τις ἦν.

Greek (A. Boeckh, 1884) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (A. Boeckh, 1884)) — 251 focus

ὁ μὲν γὰρ ἠφάνιστο, τυμβήρης μὲν οὔ,

Greek (F. H. Bothe, 1806) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (F. H. Bothe, 1806)) — 251 focus

ὅπως δ᾽ ὁ πρῶτος ἡμὶν ἡμεροσκόπος

Greek (Lewis Campbell, 1879) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (Lewis Campbell, 1879)) — 251 focus

καὶ χέρσος, ἀρρὼξ οὐδ᾽ ἐπημαξευμένη

Greek (A. Colonna, 1978) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (A. Colonna, 1978)) — 251 focus

καὶ χέρσος, ἀρρὼξ οὐδ᾽ ἐπημαξευμένη

Greek (A. Dain, 1955) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (A. Dain, 1955)) — 251.mvp-line-251 focus

καὶ χέρσος, ἀρρὼξ οὐδ’ ἐπημαξευμένη

Greek (R. D. Dawe, 1979) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (R. D. Dawe, 1979)) — 251 focus

καὶ χέρσος, ἀρρὼξ οὐδ᾽ ἐπημαξευμένη

Greek (G. Hermann, 1830) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (G. Hermann, 1830)) — 251 focus

καὶ χέρσος, ἀῤῥωὼξ οὐδ᾽ ἐπημαξευμένη

Greek (R. C. Jebb, 1906) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (R. C. Jebb, 1906)) — 251 focus

καὶ χέρσος, ἀρρὼξ οὐδ᾽ ἐπημαξευμένη

Greek (A. C. Pearson, 1924) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (A. C. Pearson, 1924)) — 251.mvp-line-251 focus

καὶ χέρσος, ἀρρὼξ οὐδ᾽ ἐπημαξευμένη

Antigone (OCR draft) Experimental (Antigone) — 251 focus

καὶ χέρσος, ἀρρὼξ οὐδʼ ἐπημαξευμένη

Greek (K. Reinhardt, 1949) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (K. Reinhardt, 1949)) — 251 focus

καὶ χέρσος, ἀρρὼξ οὐδ᾽ ἐπημαξευμένη

Translations (9)

German (A. Boeckh, 1884) (OCR draft) Experimental (German (A. Boeckh, 1884)) — 251 focus

BOTE.

Selbst that er's, grollend seinem Vater ob des Mords.
1120

Spanish (J. A. Bolufer, 1921) (OCR draft) Experimental (Spanish (J. A. Bolufer, 1921)) — 251 focus

CORO

No sé; porque a mí, el demasiado silencio me parece compañero de algo grave, lo mismo que el inmoderado clamor.

English (Lewis Campbell, 1906) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Lewis Campbell, 1906)) — 251 focus

CH
1270

Alas for him who sees the right too late!
1270

German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review) (OCR draft) Experimental (German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review)) — 237 focus

Was ist's, warum befiel dich solche Bangigkeit?

Der Wächter.

Erst laß dir sagen, was mich selbst betrifft: die That

Verübt' ich nicht, noch sah ich, wer der Thäter war;

Und nur mit Unrecht widerführe mir ein Leid.
240

Kreon.

Du zielst behutsam und verschanzest dich geschickt

Ringsher; du bringst uns, seh' ich wohl, ein schweres Wort.

Der Wächter.

Das Arge freilich regt die Furcht gewaltig auf.

Kreon.

Nun, wirst du reden endlich und dann weiter geh'n?

Der Wächter.

Wohlan, so sag' ich's: Einer, der sofort verschwand,
245

Begrub den Todten eben, hat mit trocknem Staub

Bestreut den Leichnam, und geweiht, was üblich ist.

Kreon.

Was sagst du? Wer auf Erden hat sich deß erkühnt?

Der Wächter.

Ich weiß es nicht; denn weder eines Beiles Hieb

War dort, noch einer Hacke Wurf, der Boden dicht
250

Und fest und bruchlos, auch mit Wagenrädern nicht

Befahren; spurlos blieb es, wer der Thäter war.

Und wie es uns der erste Tageswächter zeigt,¹

Erschien es Allen unerklärlich wunderbar.

Die Leiche war verschwunden, nicht begraben zwar;
255

Dünn, wie den Fluch zu meiden, lag der Staub darauf.²

Von einem Raubthier oder Hund war keine Spur,

Die hergekommen und an ihr herumgezerrt.

Nun schollen böse Reden auf einander los,

Der Wächter zich den Wächter; wohl auch endet' es
260

Zulezt mit Schlägen; Keiner war zu wehren da.

Denn Einer wie der Andre war der Thäter hier,

Und Keiner überführbar; Jeder stritt es ab.

Mit Händen fassen wollten wir ein glühend Erz,³

Durch Feuer gehen, schwören bei den Göttern selbst,
265

Daß wir es nicht verübten noch im Bunde sei'n

Mit Einem, der's ersonnen oder ausgeführt.

Am Ende, da kein Forschen mehr uns weiter half,

Sprach Einer, der uns alle zwang, vor Furcht das Haupt

Zur Erd' hinabzusenken denn wir wußten nicht
270

Zu widersprechen, noch wiefern wir, thäten wir's,

Uns helfen könnten dieser rieth, man müsse dir

Die Sache hinterbringen, nicht verheimlichen.

Und seine Meinung siegte: mich Unseligen

Verdammt zu diesem schönen Glück des Looses Wurf.
275

Nun steh' ich hier, nicht willig vor Unwilligen:

Niemand ja liebt den Boten unwillkommner Mähr.

Der Chor.

English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759)) — 251 focus

Creon
1261

Ah me ! What deadly woes from the bad mind

Perpetual flow. Thus in one wretched house

Have you beheld the slayer and the slain !

O fatal counsels ! O unhappy son !

Thus with thy youthful bride to sink in death ;

Thou diest, my child, and I alone have killed thee !

Spanish (A. G. Garbin, 1889) (OCR draft) Experimental (Spanish (A. G. Garbin, 1889)) — 251 focus

EL MENSAJERO

1155 Habitantes del palacio de Cadmo y de Anfion, á ningún ser viviente se puede considerar como dichoso ni como desgraciado, mientras existe; porque sin cesar la voluble Fortuna nos levanta ó nos abate, nos envía la prosperidad ó nos sume en la desgracia, sin que haya adivino que pueda leexnos lo porvenir por lo presente. Creonte era, á mi juicio, digno ha poco de ser envidiado; él había librado de sus enemigos á esta tierra de Cadmo; él reinaba prósperamente como señor absoluto del pais; una prole generosa aumentaba su gloria... hoy todo ha desaparecido. Que el hombre cuando picrde la dicha, ante mis ojos ya no vive; para mi es un cadáver que respira. En vano posees en tu palacio inmensos tesoros; el regio fausto en vano te circunda. Si has perdido la alegría, todo lo demás, comparado con ella, es menos que humo, menos que vana sombra.

German (F. Hölderlin, 1804) (OCR draft) Experimental (German (F. Hölderlin, 1804)) — 251 focus

BOTE

O Herr! wie hast du schon und wie empfängst du.

Das in den Händen trägst du, das. Unddasim Haufs’
1335

Auch das Unglük znsehen musst du kommen.

English (Sir Richard Jebb1, 1904) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Sir Richard Jebb1, 1904)) — 251 focus

Chorus

Lo, yonder the king himself draws near, bearing that which tells too clear a tale,—the work of no 1260 stranger’s madness,—if we may say it,—-but of his own misdecds. 1

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-387-1 Seidler transposes vv. 663—667, placing them after 671. The object is to bring vv. 668—671 into immediate connection with 662. In this there is one slight grammatical gain; since, as the vv. stand in the MSS.,

τοῦτον ...τὸν ἄνδρα

(668) means, ‘the man who acts thus’ (viz., as described in vv. 666 f.). But the order given in the MSS. is right. The transposition obliterates one of the finest touches in the speech. Creon demands that the obedience of the citizens to the ruler shall be absolute (666 f.). And then he supplements this demand with a remark on the dignity of such obedience. The man who so obeys gives the best proof that he could also rule (668 ff.). Seidler destroys the point of vv. 668 ff. by placing them after 662.

mvp-comment-387-2 The connection of thought in the whole passage—which is slightly obscured by compression—may be most clearly shown by taking the verses in small consecutive groups. (1) 659 f. If I tolerate disloyalty

mvp-comment-387-3 in my own relatives, I shall encourage it in other citizens. (2) 661 f. For (

γάρ

) only a man who is firm (

χρηστός

) where his own relatives are concerned will be found to uphold justice in the State (i.e. will have the authority necessary for doing so). (3) 663 f. Now, I recognise disloyalty in any one who breaks the law and defies the government, as Antigone has done. (4) 666 f. Instead of so doing, the citizen is bound to obey the government in everything. (5) 668—671. There is nothing slavish in that; on the contrary, it shows that the citizen is not only a good subject, but would, if required, be a good ruler;—as he would also be a good soldier.—Then comes the general censure on unruliness (672—676). And then the conclusion:—I must vindicate my authority, and punish Antigone (677 —680).

mvp-comment-388-1 ὑπερβάς ¹

mvp-comment-388-2 τοὐπιτάσσειν ²

mvp-comment-388-3 νοεῖ ³

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

635-765. mvp-comment-375-1 Haemon professes obedience to his father, but with the implied condition that his father commands what is right. Not heeding this, Creon welcomes his general profession, and enlarges on the blessings that follow from obedience in public and private. He urges Haemon to renounce Antigone. Haemon replies by repeating the praise of her which he has heard in the city (Ar. Rhet. 3. 17, ἕτερον χρὴ λέγοντα ποιεῖν.. ὡς Σοφοκλῆς τὸν Αἴμονα ὑπὲρ τῆς Ἀντιγόνης πρὸς τὸν πατέρα, ὡς λεγόντων ἑτέρων), and begs his father not to be deaf to all opinions but his own. Creon is impatient at this, and, after an altercation, in which both speakers become exasperated, Creon orders Antigone to be brought for immediate execution, and Haemon breaks away in sullen anger. This episode interposes a necessary pause between the condemnation of Antigone and its results, i. e, between the two chief crises of the action, and assists the main impression by bringing the light of natural affection and common opinion to bear on the situation.

661. mvp-comment-391-1 τοῖς .. οἰκείοισιν Neuter. Creon characteristically relies on commonplace maxims.

663. mvp-comment-392-1 The transgressor who either violates the laws. The alternative is thought of after the sentence is begun. νόμους is in two constructions, (1) with ὑπερβάς, (2) with βιάζεται.