Sophocles Antigone 272

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Chorus

At nunc parce quidquam optare: nam fati nullum est mortalibus effugium.

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)) — 272 focus

σοὶ τοὔργον εἴη τοῦτο, κοὐχὶ κρυπτέον.

Greek (A. Boeckh, 1884) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (A. Boeckh, 1884)) — 272 focus

πάρειμι δ᾽ ἄκων οὐχ ἑκοῦσιν, οἶδ᾽ ὅτι·

Greek (F. H. Bothe, 1806) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (F. H. Bothe, 1806)) — 272 focus

καὶ ταῦτ᾽ ἐνίκα, κᾀμὲ τὸν δυσδαίμονα

Greek (Lewis Campbell, 1879) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (Lewis Campbell, 1879)) — 272 focus

πράξαιμεν. ἦν δ᾽ ὁ μῦθος ὡς ἀνοιστέον

Greek (A. Colonna, 1978) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (A. Colonna, 1978)) — 272 focus

πράξαιμεν. ἦν δ᾽ ὁ μῦθος ὡς ἀνοιστέον

Greek (A. Dain, 1955) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (A. Dain, 1955)) — 272.mvp-line-272 focus

πράξαιμεν. ἦν δ’ ὁ μῦθος ὡς ἀνοιστέον

Greek (R. D. Dawe, 1979) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (R. D. Dawe, 1979)) — 272 focus

πράξαιμεν. ἦν δ᾽ ὁ μῦθος ὡς ἀνοιστέον

Greek (G. Hermann, 1830) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (G. Hermann, 1830)) — 272 focus

πράξαιμεν. ἦν δ᾽ ὁ μῦθος, ὡς ἀνοιστέον

Greek (R. C. Jebb, 1906) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (R. C. Jebb, 1906)) — 272 focus

πράξαιμεν. ἦν δ᾽ ὁ μῦθος ὡς ἀνοιστέον

Greek (A. C. Pearson, 1924) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (A. C. Pearson, 1924)) — 272.mvp-line-272 focus

πράξαιμεν. ἦν δ᾽ ὁ μῦθος ὡς ἀνοιστέον

Antigone (OCR draft) Experimental (Antigone) — 272 focus

πράξαιμεν. ἦν δʼ ὁ μῦθος ὡς ἀνοιστέον

Greek (K. Reinhardt, 1949) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (K. Reinhardt, 1949)) — 272 focus

πράξαιμεν. ἦν δ᾽ ὁ μῦθος ὡς ἀνοιστέον

Translations (7)

German (A. Boeckh, 1884) (OCR draft) Experimental (German (A. Boeckh, 1884)) — 272 focus

KREON.
Str. 3.

Ach ach, ach ach!
1245
1306

Vor Angst schaudr' ich auf! Warum stöfst nicht wer

mir vorn durch die Brust ein zweischneidig Schwert?

Weh, weh mir Elendem!

In Elend und Leid versenkt komm' ich um.

Spanish (J. A. Bolufer, 1921) (OCR draft) Experimental (Spanish (J. A. Bolufer, 1921)) — 272 focus

CREONTE

Pero lo que deseo es lo que pido en mis súplicas.

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

Schon lang, o König, überlegt mein Inneres,

Ob eine Gottheit diese That nicht angeregt.

Kreon.

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

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

Denn unerträglich ist es, daß du sagen magst,

Die Götter trügen Sorge für den Todten dort.

Sie hätten, wie zu schöner That Verherrlichung,

Den Mann begraben, der mit Brand zu tilgen kam
285

Die säulumringten Tempel und der Gaben Schmuck,

Und ihre Fluren, ihr Gesez zu stürzen sann?

Wann sahst du Frevler je geehrt durch Götterhuld?

Nie wahrlich, nie! Doch lange murrten schon darum,

Ungern gehorsam, wider mich die Bürger hier,
290

Geheim die Häupter schüttelnd; ja, sie hielten nicht

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

Von ihnen wurden jene, sicher weiß ich das,

Durch Lohn verleitet und verübten diese That.

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

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

Zerstören, dies treibt Männer aus von Hof und Herd;

Dies unterweiset und verkehrt den edlen Sinn

Rechtschaff'ner Männer, nachzugeh'n ruchloser That,

Zeigt an die Wege böser List den Sterblichen,
300

Und bildet sie zu jedem gottverhaßten Werk.

Doch die für Lohn gedungen diese That vollbracht,

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

Ia, wenn noch irgend Ehre Zeus von mir empfängt,

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

Wofern ihr nicht den Frevler, der den Todten dort

Bestattet, aufspürt und mir hier vor Augen stellt,

Genügt es nicht an eurem Tode nur, ihr sollt

Am Kreuze hängen, bis ihr offenbart die Schmach,

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

Ihn künftig dort erhaschet und begreifen lernt,

Daß nicht in Allem nach Gewinn zu spähen frommt.

Denn mit dem Preis des Schlechten wirst du Mehrere

Unglücklich enden, als das Glück gewinnen seh'n.

Der Wächter.

English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759)) — 272 focus

Hyllus

Son of Ilercvles.

Oeianira, Wife of Hercules.

Spanish (A. G. Garbin, 1889) (OCR draft) Experimental (Spanish (A. G. Garbin, 1889)) — 272 focus

CREONTE

1281 ¿Qué mayores desgracias puedo esperar aún que las que estoy sufriendo?

English (Sir Richard Jebb1, 1904) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Sir Richard Jebb1, 1904)) — 272 focus

Creon

1339 Lead me away, I pray you; a rash, foolish 1340 man; who have slain thee, ah my son, unwittingly, and thee, too, my wife—unhappy that I am! I know not which way I should bend my gaze, or where I should seek support ; for all is amiss with that which is in my hands,—and yonder, again, a crushing fate hath leapt upon my head.

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-414-1 ἄνδρα ¹ μανθάνειν ² τό ³

mvp-comment-414-2 κεἰ … ᾖ ⁴

mvp-comment-414-3 τείνειν ⁵

mvp-comment-414-4 παρὰ ῥείθρ. ⁶

mvp-comment-414-5 χειμάρροις ⁷

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.

710. mvp-comment-417-1 ἄνδρα Ε. on L. § 22. p. 37.

710. mvp-comment-417-2 κεἴ τις ᾖ Ε. on L. § 27. p. 44.

710. mvp-comment-417-3 τὸ μανθάνειν Essay on Language § 21. p. 34-38.

711. mvp-comment-418-1 καὶ τὸ μὴ τείνειν ἄγαν And not to hold too hard. This absolute use of τείνειν is generalized from the examples given below.