Sophocles Antigone 30

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Creon

162 Viri, civitatem hanc, quam multis quassarunt fluctibus, iam in tuto di erexerunt denuo: vos autem per muntios iussi seorsum ab omnibus convenire, quia vos movi cum Laii imperium sedulo semper coluisse, tum regnante Oedipo, illoque exstincto etiam erga eius gnatos in eadem fide constantianimo permansisse. Quando igitur illi gemino fato una die periere, mutuis ictibus peremti nefaria manu, ego iam imperium omne et solium obtineo, ut qui defunctis cognatus sum proximus. Vix autem virum quempiam noris quo sit ingenio, quasolertia, quidve consilio valeat, antequam in administratione rei publicae et legum tritum eum videris. Quicumque enim, civitatem universam regens, non optimis adhaeret consiliis, sed formidine aliqua linguam comprimit, is pessimus esse et nunc et dudum mihi videtur: et quicumque patria sua potiorem iudicat amicum, illum nullo in loco pono. Ego enim (testor Iovem omnia semper cernentem) silere nollem, damnum si viderem ingruere civibus loco salutis; neque umquam, si quis patriae hostis sit, eius viri amicitiam amplectar: quippe compertum est mihi, patriam servare quoque, quos, ipsa salva, amicos paramus. Talibus ego placitis obsecutus hanc augebo urbem, nuncque horum adfinia civibus edicere iussi, circa Oedipi filios: Etooclem quidem, qui pro hac urbe pugnando, re fortissime gesta, periit, ut condant sepulchro, omnibusque condecorent inferiis, quas strenuorum virorum Manibus ferre solemne est; illius autem fratrem , Polynicen dico, qui exsul huc reversus, urbem patriam et deos patrios flammis abolere voluit, voluitque sanguinem haurire cognatum, civesque suos in servitutem abducere, hunc civibus interdictum est ne quis tumu« lo mandet, neque defleat, sed sinant insepultum, alitibus canibusque praedam, visu foedissimam. Haec mea est sententia, neque a me unquam honorem improbi consequentur práe iustis, sed quicunqne benevolus huic urbi est, mortuus et vivus pariter a me quidem honorabitur.

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)) — 30 focus

θησαυρὸν εἰσορῶσι ¹ πρὸς χάριν βορᾶς.

30

Greek (A. Boeckh, 1884) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (A. Boeckh, 1884)) — 30 focus

θησαυρὸν εἰσορῶσι πρὸς χάριν βορᾶς.

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Greek (F. H. Bothe, 1806) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (F. H. Bothe, 1806)) — 30 focus

θησαυρὸν, εἰσορμῶσι πρὸς χάριν βορᾶς.

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Greek (Lewis Campbell, 1879) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (Lewis Campbell, 1879)) — 30 focus

θησαυρὸν εἰσορῶσι πρὸς χάριν βορᾶς.

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Greek (A. Colonna, 1978) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (A. Colonna, 1978)) — 30 focus

θησαυρὸν εἰσορῶσι πρὸς χάριν βορᾶς.

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Greek (A. Dain, 1955) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (A. Dain, 1955)) — 30.mvp-line-30 focus

θησαυρὸν εἰσορῶσι πρὸς χάριν βορᾶς.

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Greek (R. D. Dawe, 1979) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (R. D. Dawe, 1979)) — 30 focus

θησαυρὸν εἰσορῶσι πρὸς χαρὰν βορᾶς.

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Greek (G. Hermann, 1830) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (G. Hermann, 1830)) — 30 focus

θησαυρὸν εἰσορῶσι πρὸς χάριν βορᾶς.

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Greek (R. C. Jebb, 1906) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (R. C. Jebb, 1906)) — 30 focus

θησαυρὸν εἰσορῶσι πρὸς χάριν βορᾶς.

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Greek (A. C. Pearson, 1924) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (A. C. Pearson, 1924)) — 30.mvp-line-30 focus

θησαυρὸν εἰσορῶσι πρὸς χάριν βορᾶς.

30

Antigone (OCR draft) Experimental (Antigone) — 30 focus

θησαυρὸν εἰσορῶσι πρὸς χάριν βορᾶς.

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Greek (K. Reinhardt, 1949) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (K. Reinhardt, 1949)) — 30 focus

θησαυρὸν εἰσορῶσι πρὸς χάριν βορᾶς.

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Translations (10)

German (A. Boeckh, 1884) (OCR draft) Experimental (German (A. Boeckh, 1884)) — 30 focus

ISMENE

Wohl, dünkt es dir, so gehe; aber wisse, dafs

du thöricht gehst, ob ächte Freundin auch dem Freund.

Spanish (J. A. Bolufer, 1921) (OCR draft) Experimental (Spanish (J. A. Bolufer, 1921)) — 30 focus

Creonte

162 ¡Ciudadanos! Los dioses al fin han enderezado los asuntos de la ciudad, después de haberla agitado en revuelta confusión. Y yo os mandé por mis emisarios que os reunierais aquí, separadamente de todos los demás, porque sé que siempre respetasteis como es debido las órdenes del trono de Layo, lo mismo que luego, cuando Edipo regía la ciudad; y después que él cayó, persististeis también en vuestra constante fidelidad alrededor de sus hijos. Mas cuando éstos, por doble fatalidad, han muerto en un mismo día al herir y ser heridos con sus propias y mancilladas manos, quedo yo en poder del imperio y del trono, por ser el pariente más próximo de los muertos.

Difícil es conocer la índole, los sentimientos y opinión de un hombre antes de que se le vea en el ejercicio de la soberanía y aplicación de la ley. Pues a mí, quien gobernando a una ciudad no se atiene a los mejores consejos, sino que procura que el miedo tenga amordazada la lengua, ése me parece ser el peor gobernante, ahora y siempre; y a quien estime a un amigo más que a su propia patria, no lo estimo en nada. Pues yo, juro por Júpiter, que todo lo tiene presente siempre, nunca ocultará el daño que vea amenace la salvación de los ciudadanos, ni concederé mi amistad a ningún hombre enemigo de la patria, porque sẻ sé que ésta es la que nos conserva, y que si la goberna · mos gobernamos con recto timón, logramos amigos.

Con estas leyes voy a procurar el fomento de la ciudad, y conformes con ellas, he promulgado a los ciudadanos las referentes a los hijos de Edipo. A Eteocles, que murió luchando por la ciudad después de hacer prodigios con su lanza, que se le entierre en un sepulcro y se le hagan todos los sacrificios expiatorios que deben acompañar a los manes de los valientes que bajan a los infiernos. Pero al hermano de éste, a Polinices me refiero, que volviendo de su destierro quería abrasar por todos lados a la patria y a los dioses tutelares, y quería además beberse la sangre de su hermano y hacer esclavos a los ciudadanos, para ése, he mandado pregonar por toda la ciudad que nadie le honre con sepultura ni le llore; sino que lo dejen insepulto y su cuerpo expuesto ignominiosamente ignominiosamente a las aves y a los perros para que lo devoren. Tal es mi determinación; pues nunca de mí alcanzarán los malos el honor que se debe a los hombres de bien. Pero cualquiera que sea el que haga bien a la ciudad, ése, lo mismo vivo que muerto, será honrado por mí.

English (Lewis Campbell, 1906) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Lewis Campbell, 1906)) — 30 focus

CREON
Enter CREON . 162

My friends, the noble vessel of our State,

After sore shaking her, the Gods have sped

On a smooth course once more. I have called you hither,

By special messengers selecting you

From all the city, first, because I knew you
165

Aye loyal to the throne of Laïus;

Then, both while Oedipus gave prosperous days,

And since his fall, I still beheld you firm

In sound allegiance to the royal issue.

Now since the pair have perished in an hour,
170

Twinned in misfortune, by a mutual stroke

Staining our land with fratricidal blood,

All rule and potency of sovereign sway,

In virtue of next kin to the deceased,

Devolves on me. But hard it is to learn
175

The mind of any mortal or the heart,

Till he be tried in chief authority.

Power shows the man. For he who when supreme

Withholds his hand or voice from the best cause,

Being thwarted by some fear, that man to me

Appears, and ever hath appeared, most vile.
180

He too hath no high place in mine esteem,

Who sets his friend before his fatherland.

Let Zeus whose eye sees all eternally

Be here my witness. I will ne’er keep silence

When danger lours upon my citizens
185

Who looked for safety, nor make him my friend

Who doth not love my country. For I know

Our country carries us, and whilst her helm

Is held aright we gain good friends and true.

Following such courses ’tis my steadfast will
190

To foster Thebè’s greatness, and therewith

In brotherly accord is my decree

Touching the sons of Oedipus. The man—

Eteocles I mean—who died for Thebes

Fighting with eminent prowess on her side,

Shall be entombed with every sacred rite
195

That follows to the grave the lordliest dead.

But for his brother, who, a banished man,

Returned to devastate and burn with fire

The land of his nativity, the shrines

Of his ancestral gods, to feed him fat
200

With Theban carnage, and make captive all

That should escape the sword—for Polynices,

This law hath been proclaimed concerning him:

He shall have no lament, no funeral,

But he unburied, for the carrion fowl
205

And dogs to eat his corse, a sight of shame.

Such are the motions of this mind and will.

Never from me shall villains reap renown

Before the just. But whoso loves the State,

I will exalt him both in life and death.
210

German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review) (OCR draft) Experimental (German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review)) — 39 focus

Was kann ich, wenn dies also steht, Unselige,¹

Hier, lösend oder bindend, uns zum Frommen thun?
40

Antigone.

Sieh, ob du helfen, ob die Mühe theilen wirst

Ismene.

Bei welchem Unterfangen? Wo geräthst du hin?

Antigone.

Ob du den Todten, mir gesellt, aufnehmen willst!

Ismene.

Ihn denn bestatten willst du, dem Verbot zum Troz?

Antigone.

Ja, meinen Bruder und den deinen, wenn auch du
45

Nicht willst; denn niemals soll man mich Verrathes zeih'n!²

Ismene.

Tollkühne, während Kreon's Wort es dir verwehrt?

Antigone.

Fern halten darf mich dieser nie von meiner Pflicht.

Ismene.

Weh mir! Bedenk', o Schwester, wie der Vater uns,

Mit Haß und Hohn belastet, ruhmlos unterging,
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Nachdem er selbst um Gräuel, die er selbst enthüllt,

Der Augen Sterne sich zerriß mit eigner Hand;

Wie dann die Mutter, Mutter ihm und Weib zugleich,

Schmachvoll mit frevlem Strange sich das Leben nahm;

Zum dritten, wie die Brüder beid' an Einem Tag
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Im Wechselmord sich ein gemeinsam Todesloos,

Die Armen, schufen, Einer durch des Andern Hand!

Wir sind allein jezt übrig; du bedenke denn,

Wie schmählich wir verdürben, wenn wir wider Necht

Der Herrscher Ausspruch und Gewalt mißachteten.
60

Wohl mußt du doch erwägen, daß wir Frauen sind,

Und nicht geschaffen, Männern kühn im Kampf zu steh'n,

Dann aber, daß wir, weil beherrscht von Stärkeren,

Hier folgen müssen und sogar in Härterem.

Drum will ich jene, die der Erde Schooß verbirgt,³
65

Anfleh'n um Nachsicht, weil Gewalt mich bindet hier,

Und ihm gehorchen, dem die Macht geworden ist;

Denn Unverstand ist's, über seine Kraft zu thun.

English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759)) — 30 focus

Chorus
100

O sir ! to younger hands commit the task.

Spanish (A. G. Garbin, 1889) (OCR draft) Experimental (Spanish (A. G. Garbin, 1889)) — 30 focus

CORO

117 Despues de haber amenazado nuestros hogares, y de haber corrido jadeantes en derredor de las siete puertas, con sus lanzas ávidas de exterminio, huyeron antes de abrevarse en nuestra sangre, y de que el fuego abrasador invadiera las alturas de nuestras fortalezas; de tal manera la voz rugiente de Marte resonó en torno de ellos, causando el espanto del dragón enemigo. 127 Júpiter que abomina el orgullo y la jactancia, viendo á los argivos precipitarse á modo de impetuoso torrente, ensoberbecidos con las doradas armas, que movían con estruendo, fulminó su rayo y aniquiló al guerrero que ya se preparaba á dar el grito de ¡victoria! desde lo alto de nuestras murallas.

German (F. Hölderlin, 1804) (OCR draft) Experimental (German (F. Hölderlin, 1804)) — 30 focus

KREON

Ihr Männer, wärs die Stadt allein, die haben

Nachdem in grofser Fluth sie die geschüttert ,

Nun wiederum gestaltet unsre Götter.
170

Euch aber rief aus zwei Ursachen ich

Aus den Gesammten, einmal, weil ich weiss,

Ihr achtet überhaupt von Lajos Thron die Herrschaft,

Dann auch, als Oedipus die Stadt errichtet,

Und nachher untergieng, seid treugesinnt
175

Geblieben ihr den Kindern jener Eltern,

Da nun aus doppeltem Verhängnis diese

An einem Tag’ umkamen, schlagend und

Geschlagen in der eigenhändgen Schande,

Hab’ ich die Kraft alsb und Thron durchaus,
180

Aus Folge des Geschlechts von den Gestorbnen.

Doch nur mit solchen, die Recht und Befehl gewohnt sind,

Kann einer, in der Seel’ und Sinnesart und Meinungen,

Verstehn sich, allenfalls, mit andern schwerlich.

Mir nemlich scheint, wenn einer vornehm ist,
185

Und nicht sich hält im höchsten Sinn’, hingegen

In einer Furcht verschlofsne Zunge führet,

Ein schlechtes Leben das, jezt und von jeher.

Und wenn für gröfser, als sein Vaterland,

Das liebste jemand hält, der gilt mir ganz nichts.
190

Ich nemlich, weiss es Zevs, der alles schauet, allzeit,

Ich werd’ es nicht verschweigen, seh’ ich Irrung

Den Städtern gehen gegen ihre Wohlfahrt, nicht,

Wenn auf dem Grund hier ein Verdrofsner ist,

Den mir zum Freunde machen, denn ich weiß,
195

Der hält zusammen, und so wir auf diesem

Recht fahren, mögen Freunde wir gewinnen.

Nach solcher Sazung will die Stadt ich fördern.

Dermalen aber hab’ ich Aehnliches verkündet

Den Städtern wegen Oedipus Geschlecht.
200

Eteokles wohl, der kämpfend für die Stadt ist

Gestorben, all anordnend mit dem Speer’,

Ihn deket mit dem Grab’ und fertiget,

Was nur gehört, den besten Todten drunten.

Doch jenem, der sein Blutsverwandter ist,
205

Polynikes, der das väterliche Land,

Der Heimath Götter, kommend von der Flucht,

Vom Gipfel an, mit Feuer, wollte stürzen,

Sich waiden an verwandtem Blut und diese

Wegführen in Gefangenschaft, von diesem
210

Sag’ ich und in der Stadt ists ausgerufen,

Dafs keiner ihn begrabe, keiner traure,

Dafs unbegraben er gelassen sey, zu schaun

Ein Mahl, zerfleischt von Vögeln und von Hunden.

Difs ist mein Sinn und niemals werden mir
215

Die Schlimmen mehr geehrt seyn, als die Guten.

Doch wer es gut meint mit der Stadt, todt oder

Lebendig, immer sey er gleich von mir geschäzet.

English (Sir Richard Jebb1, 1904) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Sir Richard Jebb1, 1904)) — 30 focus

Creon

162 Sirs, the vessel of our State, after being tossed on wild waves, hath once more been safely steadied by the gods: and ye, out of all the folk, have been called apart by my summons, because I knew, first of all, how true and constant was your reverence for the royal power of Larus; how, again, when Oedipus was ruler of our land, and when he had perished, your steadfast 170 loyalty still upheld their children. Since, then, his sons have fallen in one day by a twofold doom,—each smitten by the other, each stained with a brother's blood,—I now possess the throne and all its powers, by nearness of kinship to the dead.

No man can be fully known, in soul and spirit and mind, until he hath been seen versed in rule and lawgiving. For if any, being supreme guide of the State, 180 cleaves not to the best counsels, but, through some fear, keeps his lips locked, I hold, and have ever held, him most base and if any makes a friend of more account than his fatherland, that man hath no place in my regard, For I—be Zeus my witness, who sees all things always—would not be silent if I saw ruin, instead of safety, coming to the citizens; nor would I ever decm the country’s foe a friend to myself; remembering this, that our country is the ship that bears us safe, and that 190 only while she prospers in our voyage can we make true friends.

Such are the rules by which I guard this city’s greatness, And in accord with them is the edict which I have now published to the folk touching the sons of Oedipus ;—that Eteocles, who hath fallen fighting for our city, in all renown of arms, shall be entombed, and crowned with every rite that follows the noblest dead to their rest. But for his brother, Polyneices,—who 200 came back from exile, and sought to consume utterly with fire the city of his fathers and the shrines of his fathers’ gods,—sought to taste of kindred blood, and to lead the remnant into slavery ;—touching this man, it hath been proclaimed to our people that none shall grace him with sepulture or lament, but leave him unburied, a corpse for birds and dogs to eat, a ghastly sight of shame. Such the spirit of my dealing; and never, by deed of mine, shall the wicked stand in honour before the just ; but whoso hath good will to Thebes, he shall be 210 honoured of me, in his life and in his death.

English (Robert Potter, 1788) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Robert Potter, 1788)) — 30 focus

Creon

For gold

Thou didst it; bartering thy vile life away.

English (Sir Richard Jebb2, 1904) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Sir Richard Jebb2, 1904)) — 1-98 focus

1

Antigone

Ismene, my sister, true child of my own mother, do you know any evil out of all the evils bequeathed by Oedipus that Zeus will not fulfil for the two of us in our lifetime? There is nothing—no pain, no ruin,
1

no shame, nor dishonor—that I have not seen in your sufferings and mine. And now what is this new edict that they say the general has just decreed to all the city? Do you know anything? Have you heard? Or does it escape you that
5

evils from our enemies are on the march against our friends?
10

Ismene

To me no word of our friends, Antigone, either bringing joy or bringing pain has come since we two were robbed of our two brothers who died in one day by a double blow.

And since the Argive army has fled during this night, I have learned nothing further, whether better fortune is mine, or further ruin.
15

Antigone

I knew it well, so I was trying to bring you outside the courtyard gates to this end, that you alone might hear.

Ismene

Hear what? It is clear that you are brooding on some dark news.
20

Antigone

Why not? Has not Creon destined our brothers, the one to honored burial, the other to unburied shame? Eteocles, they say, with due observance of right and custom, he has laid in the earth

for his honor among the dead below. As for the poor corpse of Polyneices, however, they say that an edict has been published to the townsmen that no one shall bury him or mourn him, but instead leave him unwept, unentombed, for the birds a pleasing store
25

as they look to satisfy their hunger. Such, it is said, is the edict that the good Creon has laid down for you and for me—yes, for me—and it is said that he is coming here to proclaim it for the certain knowledge of those who do not already know. They say that he does not conduct this business lightly,
30

but whoever performs any of these rites, for him the fate appointed is death by public stoning among the entire city. This is how things stand for you, and so you will soon show your nature, whether you are noble-minded, or the corrupt daughter of a noble line.
35

39

Ismene

Poor sister, if things have come to this, what would I

profit by loosening or tightening this knot?
40

Antigone

Consider whether you will share the toil and the task.

Ismene

What are you hazarding? What do you intend?

Antigone

Will you join your hand to mine in order to lift his corpse?

Ismene

You plan to bury him—when it is forbidden to the city?

Antigone

Yes, he is my brother, and yours too, even if you wish it otherwise. I will never be convicted of betraying him.
45

Ismene

Hard girl! Even when Creon has forbidden it?

Antigone

No, he has no right to keep me from my own.

Ismene

Ah, no! Think, sister, how our father

perished in hatred and infamy, when, because of the crimes that he himself detected, he smashed both his eyes with self-blinding hand; then his mother-wife, two names in one, with a twisted noose destroyed her life;
50

lastly, our two brothers in a single day, both unhappy murderers of their own flesh and blood, worked with mutual hands their common doom. And now we, in turn—we two who have been left all alone—consider how much more miserably we will be destroyed, if in defiance of the law
55

we transgress against an autocrat’s decree or his powers. No, we must remember, first, that ours is a woman’s nature, and accordingly not suited to battles against men; and next, that we are ruled by the more powerful, so that we must obey in these things and in things even more stinging.
60

I, therefore, will ask those below for pardon, since I am forced to this, and will obey those who have come to authority. It is foolish to do what is fruitless.
65

69

Antigone

I would not encourage you—no, nor, even if you were willing later,

would I welcome you as my partner in this action. No, be the sort that pleases you. I will bury him—it would honor me to die while doing that. I shall rest with him, loved one with loved one, a pious criminal. For the time is greater
70

that I must serve the dead than the living, since in that world I will rest forever. But if you so choose, continue to dishonor what the gods in honor have established.
75

Ismene

I do them no dishonor. But to act in violation of the citizens’ will—of that I am by nature incapable.

Antigone

You can make that your pretext! Regardless, I will go now to heap a tomb over the brother I love.
80

Ismene

Oh no, unhappy sister! I fear for you!

Antigone

Do not tremble for me. Straighten out your own destiny.

Ismene

Then at least disclose the deed to no one before you do it.

Conceal it, instead, in secrecy—and so, too, will I.
85

Antigone

Go on! Denounce it! You will be far more hated for your silence, if you fail to proclaim these things to everyone.

Ismene

You have a hot heart for chilling deeds.

Antigone

I know that I please those whom I am most bound to please.

Ismene

Yes, if you will also have the power. But you crave the impossible.
90

Antigone

Why then, when my strength fails, I will have finished.

Ismene

An impossible hunt should not be tried in the first place.

Antigone

If you mean that, you will have my hatred, and you will be subject to punishment as the enemy of the dead.

But leave me and the foolish plan I have authored to suffer this terrible thing, for I will not suffer anything so terrible that my death will lack honor.
95

Ismene

Go, then, if you so decide. And of this be sure: though your path is foolish, to your loved ones your love is straight and true. Exit Antigone on the spectators’ left. Ismene exits into the palace.

Commentary

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

mvp-comment-52-1 κείσομαι ¹

mvp-comment-52-2 σοὶ δ’ ² σὺ δ’ ³ εἰ δοκεῖ ⁴

mvp-comment-52-3 τὰ τῶν θεῶν ἔντιμα ⁵

mvp-comment-52-4 ἀτιμάσασ’ ἔχε ⁶

mvp-comment-53-1 ἐγὼ ⁷ μέν ⁸ δέ ⁹

mvp-comment-53-2 ἄτιμα ποιοῦμαι ¹⁰

mvp-comment-53-3 τὸ δὲ | ...δρᾶν ¹¹

mvp-comment-54-1 τάδ’ ἂν προὔχοιο ¹²

mvp-comment-54-2 δὴ ¹³

mvp-comment-54-3 τάφον χώσουσ’ ¹⁴

mvp-comment-55-1 Join οἴμοι ταλαίνης ¹⁵

mvp-comment-55-2 μὴ ’μοῦ προτάρβει ¹⁶ τὸν σόν ¹⁷ μὴ ’μοῦ ¹⁸ προτάρβει ¹⁹

mvp-comment-55-3 ἐξόρθου ²⁰

mvp-comment-56-1 ἀλλ’ οὖν … γε ²¹ ἀλλά ²² οὖν ²³

mvp-comment-56-2 κρυφῆ δέ ²⁴

mvp-comment-56-3 σὺν δ’ ²⁵

mvp-comment-56-4 αὔτως ²⁶

mvp-comment-57-1 καταύδα ²⁷

mvp-comment-57-2 πολλόν ²⁸ πολλὸν ²⁹

mvp-comment-57-3 σιγῶσ’ ³⁰ ἐὰν … τάδε ³¹ πᾶσι ³²

mvp-comment-58-1 θερμὴν ἐπὶ ψυχροῖσι ³³ ἐπί ³⁴ θερμήν ³⁵

mvp-comment-59-1 ἁδεῖν ³⁶

mvp-comment-60-1 εἰ καὶ δυνήσει γ’ ³⁷ καὶ ³⁸ δυνήσει ³⁹ εἰ καί ⁴⁰

mvp-comment-61-1 Since οὐκοῦν ⁴¹ δὴ ⁴² ὅταν ⁴³

mvp-comment-61-2 πεπαύσομαι ⁴⁴

mvp-comment-62-1 ἀρχήν ⁴⁵

mvp-comment-63-1 ἐχθαρεῖ ⁴⁶

mvp-comment-63-2 ἐξ ἐμοῦ ⁴⁷

mvp-comment-64-1 ἐχθρὰ...τῷ θανόντι προσκείσει δίκῃ ⁴⁸ προσκείσει ⁴⁹ ἐχθρά ⁵⁰

mvp-comment-64-2 Lehrs proposed

Δίκῃ

, i.e. ‘you will fall under the chastisement of justice.’ Donaldson, following Emper, reads

ἐχθρᾷ... δίκῃ

, as iure inimicorum apud mortuum eris: i.e. on the part of the dead you will be deemed to have only the rights of a foe. This is impossible. The ordinary reading is sound.

mvp-comment-65-1 ἔα ⁵¹

mvp-comment-65-2 τὴν ἐξ ἐμοῦ δυσββουλίαν ⁵²

mvp-comment-65-3 τὸ δεινὸν τοῦτο ⁵³

mvp-comment-65-4 πείσομαι γὰρ οὐ ⁵⁵

mvp-comment-65-5 μὴ οὐ ⁵⁶

mvp-comment-66-1 τοῖς φίλοις δ’ ὀρθῶς φίλη ⁵⁷ ἴσθι ⁵⁸

mvp-comment-68-1 ἀελίου ⁵⁹

mvp-comment-68-2 τὸ κάλλιστον ...φάος ⁶⁰

mvp-comment-68-3 ἑπταπύλῳ ⁶¹

mvp-comment-68-4 τῶν προτέρων ⁶²

mvp-comment-69-1 ἐφάνθης ⁶³

mvp-comment-69-2 χρυσέας ⁶⁴

mvp-comment-69-3 βλέφαρον ⁶⁵

mvp-comment-69-4 Διρκαίων ⁶⁶

mvp-comment-70-1 τὸν λεύκασπιν...φῶτα ⁶⁷

mvp-comment-70-2 The words

τὸν λεύκασπιν Ἀργόθεν

answer metrically to 123

πευκάενθ’ Ἥφαιστον ἑλεῖν

. Instead of

Ἀργόθεν

(¯˘¯) we therefore require ¯˘˘¯. The short final of

λεύκασπιν

is legitimate, the metre being Glyconic (see Analysis Metr.). In the antistrophic verse, the H of

Ἥφαιστον

is ‘irrational,’ i.e. is a long syllable doing duty for a short: and Nauck is incorrect in saying that the metre ‘requires’ (though it admits) a choriambus beginning with a consonant. The simplest remedy is to read Ἀργόθεν ἐκ | βάντα φῶτα ⁶⁸ Ἰναχόθεν ⁶⁹

mvp-comment-71-1 πανσαγίᾳ ⁷⁰

mvp-comment-71-2 φυγάδα πρ. ⁷¹ κινήσασα ⁷²

mvp-comment-71-3 πρόδρομον ⁷³

mvp-comment-71-4 ὀξυτέρῳ...χαλινῷ ⁷⁴

mvp-comment-71-5 ὀξυτέρῳ ⁷⁵

mvp-comment-72-1 The MSS. have ὃν...Πολυνείκης ⁷⁶ ὃς ...Πολυνείκους ⁷⁷

mvp-comment-72-2 Πολυνείκους … νεικέων ⁷⁸

mvp-comment-72-3 ἀρθείς ⁷⁹

mvp-comment-72-4 νεικ. ἐξ ἀμφιλόγων ⁸⁰

mvp-comment-73-1 ὀξέα κλάζων ⁸¹

mvp-comment-73-2 αἰετὸς εἰς γᾶν ὣς ὑπερέπτα ⁸² ὥς ⁸³

mvp-comment-73-3 ὑπερέπτα ⁸⁴

mvp-comment-74-1 λευκῆς χιόνος πτ. ⁸⁵

mvp-comment-74-2 στεγανός ⁸⁶

mvp-comment-74-3 ὅπλων … κορύθεσσι ⁸⁷ ξύν ⁸⁸ μετά ⁸⁹ ξύν ⁹⁰

mvp-comment-75-1 In στὰς δ’ ὑπὲρ μελάθρων ⁹¹ πτάς ⁹²

mvp-comment-75-2 The words φονώσαισιν ἀμφιχανὼν... λόγχαις ⁹³

mvp-comment-75-3 φονώσαισιν ⁹⁴

mvp-comment-75-4 ἑπτάπυλον στόμα ⁹⁵

mvp-comment-76-1 ἔβα ⁹⁶

mvp-comment-76-2 πρίν ποθ’ ⁹⁷ αἱμάτων ⁹⁸

mvp-comment-76-3 γἑνυσιν ⁹⁹ πλησθῆναι ¹⁰⁰ τε ¹⁰¹ τε ¹⁰²

mvp-comment-76-4 στεφάνωμα ¹⁰³

mvp-comment-76-5 πευκάενθ’ Ἥφαιστον ¹⁰⁴

mvp-comment-77-1 τοῖος ¹⁰⁵

mvp-comment-77-2 ἐτάθη ¹⁰⁶

mvp-comment-77-3 πάταγος ¹⁰⁷

mvp-comment-77-4 ἀντιπάλῳ δυσχείρωμα δράκοντος ¹⁰⁸ ἀντιπάλῳ ... δράκοντι ¹⁰⁹ ἀντιπάλου … δράκοντος ¹¹⁰ ἀντιπάλῳ … δράκοντος ¹¹¹

mvp-comment-77-5 The interpretation of the passage turns primarily on two points.

mvp-comment-77-6 (1) The δράκων ¹¹²

mvp-comment-77-7 (2) The δυς ¹¹³ δυσχείρωμα ¹¹⁴

mvp-comment-77-8 Those who read ἀντιπάλῳ … δράκοντι ¹¹⁵ ὲτάθη ¹¹⁶

mvp-comment-77-9 Those who read ἀντιπάλου … δράκοντος ¹¹⁷

mvp-comment-78-1 μεγάλης ¹¹⁸

mvp-comment-78-2 ῥεύματι ¹¹⁹ ῥεύματι πολλῷ ¹²⁰

mvp-comment-79-1 χρυσοῦ καναχῆς ὑπεροπλίαις ¹²¹

mvp-comment-79-2

μέγας

. In post-Homeric poetry

ὑπέροπλος

is a freq. epith. of overweening strength (

ἠνορέη, βίη, ἥβη

, etc.).—Other readings are:—(1)

χρυσοῦ καναχῇ θ’ ὑπερόπτας

, ‘and haughty in the clang of gold.’ This involves an improbable change; the subst.

ὑπερόπτης

, too, is unsuitable here, and cannot be defended by Theocr. 22. 58

πρὸς πάντα παλίγκοτος ἠδ’ ὑπερόπτης

. Wecklein, reading

ὑπερόπτας

, keeps

καναχῆς

in the sense, hoffärtig auf: but a genit. after

ὑπερόπτης

could not denote that in which one takes pride. (2)

χρυσοῦ καναχῆς ὑπερόπτης

, or

‐όπτα

, i.e., ‘Zeus, a despiser of the clang of gold.’ (3)

χρυσοῦ καναχῆς ὑπέροπτα

, adv. neut. plur. (as O. T. 883 ), ‘advancing haughtily in a great stream of clanging gold.’ But the adv. comes weakly at the end, and

χρυσοῦ κ

. is harshly joined with

π. ῥεύματι

.—Aesch. , too, gives prominence to gold in picturing the Argive chiefs: Capaneus has golden letters on his shield ( Aesch. Th. 434 ), Polyneices has the image of a warrior in golden armour, with a golden legend (644, Aesch. Th. 660 ).

mvp-comment-79-3 καναχῆς ¹²²

mvp-comment-80-1 παλτῷ πυρί ¹²³

mvp-comment-80-2 βαλβίδων ἐπ’ ἄκρων ¹²⁴

mvp-comment-80-3 ὁρμῶντα ¹²⁵

mvp-comment-80-4 νίκην ¹²⁶ ἀλαλάξαι ¹²⁷

mvp-comment-81-1 ἀντιτύπᾳ ¹²⁸

mvp-comment-81-2 As regards the sense,

ἀντίτυπος

was regularly used of hard surfaces, which, as it were, repel that which strikes them (for the accent

ἀντίτυπος

, not

ἀντιτύπος

, though the sense is act., see on O. T. 460 ). Probl. 5. 40

οἱ...ἐν ἀντιτύποις περίπατοι

. Lucian Amor. 13

τὴν ἀντίτυπον οὕτω καὶ καρτερὰν τοῦ λίθου φύσιν

. So, fig., Plat. Crat. 420D

τὸ...ἀναγκαῖον καὶ ἀντίτυπον

, what is necessary, and what resists us.

mvp-comment-81-3 τανταλωθείς ¹²⁹

mvp-comment-82-1 πυρφόρος ¹³⁰

mvp-comment-82-2 βακχεύων ¹³¹

mvp-comment-82-3 ῥιπαῖς...ἀνέμων ¹³²

mvp-comment-83-1 εἶχε δ’ ἄλλᾳ τὰ μέν ¹³³ εἶχε δ’ ἄλλαι τὰ μὲν ἄλλαι τὰ δ’ ἐπ’ ἄλλοις ¹³⁴ τὰ μέν ¹³⁵ ἄλλα δέ ¹³⁶ τὰ μέν ¹³⁷ ἄλλᾳ ¹³⁸

mvp-comment-83-2 ἐπενώμα ¹³⁹ στυφελίζων ¹⁴⁰

mvp-comment-83-3 δεξιόσειρος ¹⁴¹

mvp-comment-83-4 The old v.l. δεξιόχειρος ¹⁴²

mvp-comment-84-1 ἑπτὰ λοχαγοί ¹⁴³

mvp-comment-84-2 ἴσοι πρὸς ἴσους ¹⁴⁴

mvp-comment-84-3 Ζηνὶ τροπαίῳ ¹⁴⁵

mvp-comment-84-4 πάγχαλκα τέλη ¹⁴⁶

mvp-comment-84-5 It was the ordinary practice to set up a

τρόπαιον

(old

αττ.τροπαῖον

) after a victory, on the spot where it had been won, or, in the case of a sea-fight, on the nearest land ( Thuc. 2.92 ). Such a trophy ordinarily consisted of shields, helmets, and weapons, conspicuously displayed on wooden supports, and dedicated, with an inscription, to a deity. Cp. Eur. Phoen. 1473 (of the Thebans after the victory)

οἱ μὲν Διὸς τροπαῖον ἵστασαν βρέτας

(i.e. a wooden image of

Ζεὺς Τροπαῖος

), |

οἱ δ’ ἀσπίδας συλῶντες Ἀργείων νεκρῶν | σκυλεύματ’ εἴσω τειχέων ἐπέμπομεν

. Part of the armour would be affixed to the walls of Theban temples (cp. Aesch. Ag. 577 , Th. 276 ).

mvp-comment-85-1 πλὴν τ. στυγεροῖν ¹⁴⁷ πατρός ¹⁴⁸

mvp-comment-85-2 καθ’ αὑτοῖν ¹⁴⁹

mvp-comment-85-3 δικρατεῖς λόγχας ¹⁵⁰

mvp-comment-85-4 στήσαντε ¹⁵¹

mvp-comment-86-1 ἀλλὰ γάρ ¹⁵² γάρ ¹⁵³ γάρ ¹⁵⁴

mvp-comment-86-2 μεγαλώνυμος ¹⁵⁵

mvp-comment-86-3 πολυαρμάτῳ ¹⁵⁶

mvp-comment-86-4 ἀντιχαρεῖσα ¹⁵⁷

mvp-comment-87-1 ἐκ...πολέμων τῶν νῦν ¹⁵⁸ ἐκ ¹⁵⁹ νῦν ¹⁶⁰

mvp-comment-87-2 θέσθαι ¹⁶¹ θέσθε ¹⁶² παννυχίοις ¹⁶³

mvp-comment-87-3 ὁ Θήβας ¹⁶⁴ ἐλελίχθων ¹⁶⁵

mvp-comment-87-4 Βάκχιος ¹⁶⁶

mvp-comment-87-5 ἄρχοι ¹⁶⁷

mvp-comment-88-1 ἀλλὰ … γάρ ¹⁶⁸ Κρέων ¹⁶⁹

mvp-comment-88-2 Μενοικέως ¹⁷⁰

mvp-comment-88-3 νεοχμὸς νεαραῖσι ¹⁷¹

mvp-comment-88-4 their equivalents. See Appendix I prefer the first of these views. An anapaest or spondee, meaning ‘ruler,’ has probably dropped out before νεοχμός ¹⁷² κρείων ¹⁷³ ἄρχων ¹⁷⁴ ταγός ¹⁷⁵

mvp-comment-88-5 θεῶν … συντυχίαις ¹⁷⁶ ἐπί ¹⁷⁷

mvp-comment-89-1 μῆτιν ἐρέσσων ¹⁷⁸

mvp-comment-89-2 σύγκλητον ¹⁷⁹

mvp-comment-89-3 προὔθετο ¹⁸⁰ λέσχην ¹⁸¹

mvp-comment-89-4 not the meeting, but the discussion which is to take place there: thus the poet's phrase, true to Attic usage, corresponds with

γνώμας προθεῖναι

rather than with

ἐκκλησίαν προθεῖναι

. Herod. uses

λέσχη

of a public discussion (9. 71): cp. O. C. 167 . The midd. προὔθετο ¹⁸²

mvp-comment-89-5 κοινῷ κ. πέμψας ¹⁸³

mvp-comment-91-1 There is a general dramatic analogy between this speech and that of Oedipus in O. T. 216 —275. In each case a Theban king addresses Theban elders, announcing a stern decree, adopted in reliance on his own wisdom, and promulgated with haughty consciousness of power; the elders receive the decree with a submissive deference under which we can perceive traces of misgiving; and as the drama proceeds, the elders become spectators of calamities occasioned by the decree, while its author turns to them for comfort.

mvp-comment-91-2 τὰ μὲν δὴ πόλεος . . ὑμᾶς δ’ ¹⁸⁴

mvp-comment-91-3 πόλεος ¹⁸⁵ πολλῷ σάλῳ σείσαντες ¹⁸⁶

mvp-comment-91-4 The image of the State as a ship dates in Greek literature from Alcaeus (whom Horace copied, Carm. 1. 14 ), fr. 18. The ship of Alcaeus is labouring in the trough of a wild sea,—water is coming in,—the sail is torn,—the anchor will not hold:

νᾶϊ φορήμεθα σὺν μελαίνᾳ | χείμωνι μοχθεῦντες μεγάλῳ μάλα, κ.τ.λ.

It is only through Heracleides Alleg. Homer. 5 that we know the meaning of Alcaeus to have been figurative and political. Aesch. often uses the image ( Aesch. Th. 2 , Aesch. Th. 62 , Aesch. Th. 208 etc.). Creon returns to it at 189. It is peculiarly well suited to his point,—the unity of the public interest.

mvp-comment-91-5 ὤρθωσαν ¹⁸⁷

mvp-comment-92-1 ἐκ πάντων ¹⁸⁸ δίχα ¹⁸⁹

mvp-comment-92-2 ἔστειλ’ ἱκέσθαι ¹⁹⁰ τοῦτο μέν ¹⁹¹

mvp-comment-92-3 σέβοντας ¹⁹²

mvp-comment-92-4 θρόνων . . κράτη ¹⁹³

mvp-comment-93-1 ἡνίκ’ Οἰδίπους ¹⁹⁴ κείνων ¹⁹⁵ κείνων παῖδας ¹⁹⁶ ἡνίκ’ . . ὤρθου πόλιν ¹⁹⁷ ἐπεὶ διώλετο ¹⁹⁸ τοῦτο μέν . . τοῦτ’ αὖθις ¹⁹⁹

mvp-comment-93-2 καί ²⁰⁰ καί ²⁰¹

mvp-comment-93-3 ἐμπέδοις φρονήμασιν ²⁰² ἐμπέδους ²⁰³ ἐμπέδοις ²⁰⁴

mvp-comment-94-1 ὅτε ²⁰⁵

mvp-comment-94-2 πρὸς διπλῆς μ. ²⁰⁶ διπλῆς . . μίαν ²⁰⁷

mvp-comment-94-3 παίσαντες . . πληγέντες ²⁰⁸

mvp-comment-94-4 αὐτόχειρι … μιάσματι ²⁰⁹

mvp-comment-95-1 ἐγὼ . . δή ²¹⁰

mvp-comment-95-2 κράτη ²¹¹

mvp-comment-95-3 γένους κατ’ ἀγχιστεῖα τῶν ὀλ. ²¹²

mvp-comment-96-1 ἀμήχανον δέ ²¹³ δέ ²¹⁴ δέ ²¹⁵

mvp-comment-96-2 Demosthenes, in his speech on the Embassy (343 B.C.), quotes this passage (vv. 175—190) as illustrating maxims

mvp-comment-96-3 which Aeschines had violated, though, accustomed as he had been to play tritagonists' parts, he ought to have known them by heart (or. 19 § 247).

mvp-comment-97-1 ψυχήν ²¹⁶ φρόνημα ²¹⁷ γνώμην ²¹⁸

mvp-comment-98-1 ἀρχαῖς ²¹⁹ νόμοισιν ²²⁰

mvp-comment-98-2 ἐντριβής ²²¹

mvp-comment-98-3 φανῇ ²²²

mvp-comment-99-1 ἐμοὶ γάρ ²²³ γάρ ²²⁴ πᾶσαν … πόλιν ²²⁵

mvp-comment-99-2 μὴ … ἅπτεται ²²⁶ ὅστις μὴ ἅπτεται ²²⁷

mvp-comment-99-3 ἐκ φ. του ²²⁸

mvp-comment-99-4 ἐγκλῄσας ἔχει ²²⁹

mvp-comment-99-5 νῦν τε καὶ πάλαι ²³⁰

mvp-comment-100-1 μείζον’ ²³¹ ἀντὶ τῆς...πάτρας ²³² ἤ ²³³ μεῖζον ²³⁴

mvp-comment-100-2 οὐδαμοῦ λέγω ²³⁵

mvp-comment-101-1 ἐγὼ γάρ ²³⁶ γάρ ²³⁷ τοῦτο γιγνώσκων ²³⁸ ἴστω ²³⁹

mvp-comment-102-1 οὔτ’ ἂν σιωπήσαιμι ²⁴⁰

mvp-comment-103-1 στείχουσαν ἀστοῖς ²⁴¹ ὁμοῦ ²⁴²

mvp-comment-103-2 ἀντὶ τῆς σωτηρίας ²⁴³ τῆς ²⁴⁴

mvp-comment-104-1 ἄνδρα δυσμενῆ χθονός ²⁴⁵

mvp-comment-104-2 ἐμαυτῷ ²⁴⁶ φίλον ²⁴⁷ θείμην ²⁴⁸

mvp-comment-105-1 ἡ σῴζουσα ²⁴⁹

mvp-comment-105-2 ταύτης ²⁵⁰ ὀρθῆς ²⁵¹

mvp-comment-105-3 τοὺς φίλους ποιούμεθα ²⁵²

mvp-comment-105-4

εὐτυχούσῃ πολλῷ μᾶλλον διασῴζεται

. ‘Pericles Thucydidis 11. 60 Sophoclem videtur respexisse, vel eum Sophocles,’ is Dobree's remark ( Adv. 2. 37 ); but there is no adequate ground for such a view. The verbal coincidence of

ὀρθῆς

with

ὀρθουμένην

may well have been accidental. What is really common to poet and historian is the general sentiment of Periclean Athens. For another example of this, cp. O. C. 116 n.

mvp-comment-106-1 νόμοισι ²⁵³

mvp-comment-106-2 αὔξω ²⁵⁴

mvp-comment-107-1 ἀδελφὰ τῶνδε ²⁵⁵

mvp-comment-107-2 τῶν ἀπ’ Οἰδίπου ²⁵⁶

mvp-comment-108-1 δορί ²⁵⁷ δόρει ²⁵⁸

mvp-comment-109-1 τὰ πάντ’ ἐφαγνίσαι ²⁵⁹ ἐπί ²⁶⁰ ἐφαγνίσαι ²⁶¹ ἀφαγνίσαι ²⁶² ἀπό ²⁶³

mvp-comment-110-1 τοῖς ἀρίστοις ²⁶⁴

mvp-comment-110-2 ἔρχεται κάτω ²⁶⁵

mvp-comment-111-1 L has Πολυνείκην ²⁶⁶

mvp-comment-111-2 λέγω ²⁶⁷

mvp-comment-112-1 γτ=ν πατρῴαν . . καὶ θεοὺς . . πρῆσαι ²⁶⁸

mvp-comment-112-2 θ. τοὺς ἐγγενεῖς ²⁶⁹

mvp-comment-112-3 κατελθών ²⁷⁰

mvp-comment-112-4 γ)θέλησε μέν … ἠθέλ. δέ ²⁷¹ ἠθέλησε μὲν ²⁷²

mvp-comment-112-5 πρῆσαι ²⁷³

mvp-comment-112-6 κατ’ ἄκρας ²⁷⁴

mvp-comment-112-7 αἵματος κ. πάσασθαι ²⁷⁵

mvp-comment-112-8 τοὺς δὲ … ἄγειν ²⁷⁶

mvp-comment-113-1 The traditional ἐκκεκηρῦχθαι τάφῳ ²⁷⁷ ἐκκεκήρυκται τάφῳ ²⁷⁸ ἐκκεκηρῦχθαι λέγω ²⁷⁹ τάφῳ ²⁸⁰ κτερίζειν ²⁸¹ τάφῳ ²⁸² κτερίζειν ²⁸³ μήτε ²⁸⁴ κωκῦσαι ²⁸⁵ τάφῳ ²⁸⁶ λέγω ²⁸⁷ τάφῳ ²⁸⁸ ἐκκεκ ²⁸⁹

mvp-comment-114-1 ἐᾶν δ ²⁹⁰ ἄθαπτον, αἰκισθέντ’ ἰδεῖν ²⁹¹ δέμας καὶ πρὸς οἰωνῶν καὶ πρὸς κυνῶν ἐδεστόν ²⁹² αἰκισθέντ ²⁹³ αἰκισθέντ ²⁹⁴ ἐδεστόν ²⁹⁵ αἰκισθέν τ’, δέμας ²⁹⁶

mvp-comment-114-2 δέμας ²⁹⁷

mvp-comment-114-3 ἰδεῖν ²⁹⁸

mvp-comment-115-1 φρόνημα ²⁹⁹

mvp-comment-115-2 ἔκ γ’ ἐμοῦ ³⁰⁰

mvp-comment-116-1 The MSS. have τιμὴν προέξουσ’ ..τῶν ἐνδ. ³⁰¹ τιμήν ³⁰² τιμῆ ³⁰³ προσέξους ³⁰⁴

mvp-comment-117-1 τιμήσεται ³⁰⁵

mvp-comment-118-1 I print Dindorf's κἀς ³⁰⁶ καὶ ³⁰⁷ σοὶ ταῦτ’ ἀρέσκει ³⁰⁸ Κρέον ³⁰⁹ ταὔτ ³¹⁰ ταῦτ’ ³¹¹

mvp-comment-119-1 In παντί πού γ’ ³¹² σοί γ’ … που ³¹³ ἔνεστι ³¹⁴ χὡπόσοι ζῶμεν ³¹⁵ πέρι ³¹⁶

mvp-comment-120-1 ὡς ἂν … ἦτε ³¹⁷ πῶς ἂν … εἶτε ³¹⁸

mvp-comment-120-2 σκοποί ³¹⁹

mvp-comment-120-3 νυν ³²⁰ νῦν ³²¹

mvp-comment-120-4 τῶν εἰρ ³²²

mvp-comment-121-1 πρόθες τοῦτο ³²³ βαστάζειν ³²⁴

mvp-comment-121-2 τοῦ νεκροῦ γ’ ³²⁵

mvp-comment-122-1 τί δῆτ’ ἂν … ἐπεντέλλοις ³²⁶

mvp-comment-122-2 The reading ἄλλῳ ³²⁷ τοῦτο ³²⁸

mvp-comment-122-3 ἐπιχωρεῖν ³²⁹

mvp-comment-122-4 ἀπιστοῦσιν ³³⁰

mvp-comment-122-5 τάδε, ³³¹

mvp-comment-123-1 ὃς ³³² ἐρᾷ ³³³

mvp-comment-123-2 καὶ μὴν ³³⁴ γε ³³⁵ μισθός ³³⁶

mvp-comment-123-3 requital of disobedience is that.’ For

καὶ μήν

so used, cp. O. T. 836 , 1004 f., El. 556 .

mvp-comment-123-4 τὸ κέρδος ³³⁷

mvp-comment-123-5 διώλεσεν ³³⁸

mvp-comment-124-1 ἐρῶ μὲν οὐχ ³³⁹

mvp-comment-124-2 ὅπως ³⁴⁰

mvp-comment-124-3 τάχους ὕπο ³⁴¹ τάχους ³⁴²

mvp-comment-125-1 ἐξάρας ³⁴³

mvp-comment-125-2 φροντίδων ³⁴⁴ ἐπιστάσεις ³⁴⁵

mvp-comment-125-3 ὁδοῖς ³⁴⁶

mvp-comment-125-4 κυκλῶν ³⁴⁷

mvp-comment-126-1 ψυχὴ γὰρ ηὔδα ³⁴⁸ πολλὰ ³⁴⁹ μυθουμένη ³⁵⁰

mvp-comment-127-1 τάλας … τλήμων ³⁵¹

mvp-comment-127-2 μένεις ³⁵² μενεῖς ³⁵³ αὖ ³⁵⁴

mvp-comment-127-3 πῶς … οὐκ ³⁵⁵

mvp-comment-127-4 ἀλγυνεῖ ³⁵⁶

mvp-comment-128-1 ἑλίσσων ³⁵⁷

mvp-comment-128-2 ἤνυτον ³⁵⁸

mvp-comment-128-3 σχολῇ βραδύς ³⁵⁹

mvp-comment-129-1 τέλος γε μέντοι ³⁶⁰

mvp-comment-129-2 ἐνίκησεν ³⁶¹

mvp-comment-129-3

ἐκλιπεῖν τὴν πόλιν

. That

μολεῖν

should not be regarded as the subject to

ἐνίκησε

, is shown by such an example as Her. 8.9

ἐνίκα τὴν ἡμέρην ἐκείνην αὐτοῦ μείναντάς τε καὶ αὐλισθέντας μετέπειτα νύκτα μέσην παρέντας πορεύεσθαι

, where the length of the interval excludes such a view. The personal constr. occurs below, 274; cp. Thuc. 2.12

ἦν...Περικλέους γνώμη...νενικηκυῖα

.

mvp-comment-130-1 σοί ³⁶² μολεῖν ³⁶³ σοί ³⁶⁴ φράσων ³⁶⁵ φράσω δ ³⁶⁶ κεἰ ³⁶⁷ κεἴ σοι ³⁶⁸ σοί. ³⁶⁹

mvp-comment-130-2 τὸ μηδέν ³⁷⁰

mvp-comment-131-1 τῆς ἐλπίδος ³⁷¹

mvp-comment-131-2 δεδραγμένος ³⁷² πεφραγμένος ³⁷³ πεπραγμένος ³⁷⁴

mvp-comment-131-3 τὸ μὴ παθεῖν ἄν ³⁷⁵

mvp-comment-131-4

πάθοιμι ἄν

, depending on

ἐλπίδος...δεδρ

. as=

ἐλπίζων

: for the art. with infin., cp. 78 n.

mvp-comment-131-5 τὸ μόρσιμον ³⁷⁶

mvp-comment-132-1 ἀνθ’ οὗ ³⁷⁷

mvp-comment-132-2 τὸ γὰρ | πρᾶγμ’ ³⁷⁸ γάρ ³⁷⁹

mvp-comment-133-1 εὖ γε στοχάζει ³⁸⁰ στοχάζει ³⁸¹ ἀποφράγνυσαι ³⁸² στοχάζομαι ³⁸³

mvp-comment-133-2 κἀποφράγνυσαι ³⁸⁴

mvp-comment-133-3 τὸ πρᾶγμα ³⁸⁵

mvp-comment-134-1 δηλοῖς δ’ ὥς τι ς. ³⁸⁶

mvp-comment-135-1 τὰ δεινά ³⁸⁷ γάρ ³⁸⁸

mvp-comment-135-2 ποτ ³⁸⁹

mvp-comment-135-3 ἀπαλλαχθείς ³⁹⁰

mvp-comment-136-1 καὶ δή ³⁹¹

mvp-comment-136-2 θάψας ³⁹² κἀπί ³⁹³

mvp-comment-136-3 διψίαν ³⁹⁴

mvp-comment-136-4 κἀφαγιστεύσας ³⁹⁵ ἃ χρή ³⁹⁶

mvp-comment-137-1 ἀνδρῶν ³⁹⁷

mvp-comment-137-2 οὔτε του γενῇδος … οὐ δικέλλης ³⁹⁸ οὔτε … οὐ ³⁹⁹ γενῄς ⁴⁰⁰ γενῄς ⁴⁰¹ δίκελλα ⁴⁰²

mvp-comment-137-3 δικ. ἐκβολή ⁴⁰³ ἐκβ. ⁴⁰⁴ στύφλος ⁴⁰⁵ χέρσος ⁴⁰⁶ ἀρρώξ ⁴⁰⁷

mvp-comment-137-4 ἐπημαξευμένη ⁴⁰⁸ ἐπ‐ ⁴⁰⁹ ἐφ‐ ⁴¹⁰

mvp-comment-137-5 ἀλλ’ ὁ ἐργάτης ἄσημός τις ἦν ⁴¹¹

mvp-comment-138-1 It is still the early morning of the day on which the drama opens. The Argives having fled in the night, Creon had published his edict shortly before dawn. Antigone had done her deed in the short interval between the publication of the edict and the beginning of the watch over the corpse. ὁ πρῶτος ἡμεροσκόπος ⁴¹² ἡμεροσκ. ⁴¹³

mvp-comment-138-2 δείκνυσι … παρῆν ⁴¹⁴

mvp-comment-138-3 δυσχερές ⁴¹⁵

mvp-comment-139-1 ὁ μὲν ⁴¹⁶

mvp-comment-139-2 τυμβήρης μὲν οὔ ⁴¹⁷ τυμβ. ⁴¹⁸ λεπτὴ δ’ … ἐπῆν ⁴¹⁹

mvp-comment-139-3 ἄγος φεύγοντος ὥς ⁴²⁰ ἄγος ⁴²¹

mvp-comment-140-1 θηρός ⁴²²

mvp-comment-140-2 του ⁴²³ θηρός ⁴²⁴

mvp-comment-140-3 οὐ σπάσαντος ⁴²⁵ οὐ ⁴²⁶ σπάσαντος ⁴²⁷ σπάσαντος οὐδ’ ἐλθόντος ⁴²⁸

mvp-comment-141-1 λόγοι δ’ … φύλακα ⁴²⁹ λόγοι κακοὶ ἐρρόθουν ⁴³⁰ ἐρρόθουν ⁴³¹

mvp-comment-141-2

γλώσσης ῥόθος

, of an unintelligible jargon.

mvp-comment-141-3 ἐλέγχων ⁴³²

mvp-comment-141-4 κἂν ἐγίγνετο ⁴³³

mvp-comment-141-5 τελευτῶς ⁴³⁴

mvp-comment-141-6 ὁ κωλύσων ⁴³⁵

mvp-comment-142-1 ἦν … οὑξειργ. ⁴³⁶

mvp-comment-142-2 ἐναργής ⁴³⁷

mvp-comment-142-3 ἀλλ’ ⁴³⁸

mvp-comment-142-4 ἕφευγε μὴ εἰδέναι ⁴³⁹

mvp-comment-142-5 μὴ ⁴⁴⁰ εἰδέναι ⁴⁴¹

mvp-comment-143-1 μύδρους ⁴⁴²

mvp-comment-143-2 a red-hot mass of metal, and that the custom was symbolical of an older use of the

μύδρος

in ordeals by fire. This would explain how the Alexandrian poets of the 3rd cent. B.C. (Lycophron, Callimachus) came to use the word

μύδρος

, in defiance of its etymology, as simply ‘a lump’ (or even ‘a stone’). They supposed that the

μύδροι

had been cold masses.

mvp-comment-144-1 πῦρ διέρπειν ⁴⁴³

mvp-comment-144-2 θεοὺς ὁρκ. ⁴⁴⁵

mvp-comment-144-3 τὸ μήτε δρ ⁴⁴⁶

mvp-comment-144-4 μήτ’ είργασμένῳ ⁴⁴⁷ μηδ ⁴⁴⁸

mvp-comment-145-1 πλέον ⁴⁴⁹

mvp-comment-145-2 λέγει ⁴⁵⁰

mvp-comment-145-3 τις εἷς ⁴⁵¹

mvp-comment-146-1 προὔτρεψεν ⁴⁵²

mvp-comment-146-2 οὐ γὰρ εἴχομεν ⁴⁵³

mvp-comment-146-3 As ἀντιφωνεῖν ⁴⁵⁴ δρῶντες ⁴⁵⁵ ὅπως δρῶντες ⁴⁵⁶ εἴχομεν ⁴⁵⁷

mvp-comment-147-1 σοί ⁴⁵⁸

mvp-comment-147-2 ταῦτ’ ἐνίκα ⁴⁵⁹

mvp-comment-147-3 πάλος ⁴⁶⁰ καθαιρεῖ ⁴⁶¹

mvp-comment-147-4 τἀγαθόν ⁴⁶² —ἄκων οὐχ ἑκοῦσιν ⁴⁶³

mvp-comment-148-1 ἐμοί ⁴⁶⁴ βουλεύει ⁴⁶⁵ μή ⁴⁶⁶

mvp-comment-148-2 τι ⁴⁶⁷

mvp-comment-148-3 θεήλατον, ⁴⁶⁸

mvp-comment-148-4 ἡ ξύννοια ⁴⁶⁹

mvp-comment-148-5 πάλαι ⁴⁷⁰

mvp-comment-149-1 πρὶν ὀργῆς καί με μεστῶσαι ⁴⁷¹ καί ⁴⁷² πρίν ⁴⁷³ μεστῶσαι ⁴⁷⁴ καί ⁴⁷⁵ με ⁴⁷⁶

mvp-comment-149-2 κἀμέ ⁴⁷⁷

mvp-comment-149-3 μεστῶσαι ⁴⁷⁸

mvp-comment-150-1 πότερον ⁴⁷⁹ ἔκρυπτον ⁴⁸⁰

mvp-comment-150-2 ἀμφικίονας ναούς ⁴⁸¹

mvp-comment-150-3 κἀναθήματα ⁴⁸²

mvp-comment-150-4 Her. 1.50 ; Thuc. 6.46 ; Isae. or. 7 § 41.) The wealth of Delphi in

ἀναθήματα

is already proverbial in Il. 9.404 ; at Thebes the

Ἰσμήνιον

( O. T. 21 ) also seems to have been rich in them. After

ἀνάθημα

the gen. denotes either

ὁ ἀναθείς

(as more oft.), or, as here, the divine owner.

mvp-comment-150-5 γῆν ἐκείνων ⁴⁸³ πυρώσων ⁴⁸⁴

mvp-comment-150-6 νόμους διασκεδῶν ⁴⁸⁵

mvp-comment-150-7 διασκεδῶν ⁴⁸⁶

mvp-comment-151-1 τοὺς κακοὺς τιμῶντας … θεούς; ⁴⁸⁷

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

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.

279. mvp-comment-167-1 *1 This is Nauck's emendation for ἡ. It involves a very slight change, and is extremely probable. Reflection suggests the fear that' (not 'the question whether') this may be some visitation from the gods. The conscience of the elders, which was stifled at first, begins to awaken in the presence of the mysterious fact. For the pause after the 2nd iambus, here and supr. 269, cp. Aj. 340, 342, 719, 791, 803, 988, 1050, 1077, 1140, 1332.

280. mvp-comment-168-1 Cease, ere you have quite filled me with wrath. καί, which is combined with πρίν, according to the common idiom (πρὶν καὶ..), is slightly displaced so as to emphasize the phrase ἐμὲ μεστῶσαι. The language is made clearer by the emendation καί με, but the emphatic ἐμέ is more suitable in the mouth of Creon. Cp. Phil. 1042.

281. mvp-comment-169-1 ἄνους τε καὶ γέρων Cp. О. С. 930-931, καί σ᾽ ὁ πληθύων χρόνος | γέρονθ' ὁμοῦ τίθησι καὶ τοῦ νοῦ κενόν. See Essay on Language § 41. p. 78. 285-286. Who came to burn their pillared shrines and offerings, and to break in pieces their land and laws. It seems more likely that the ἀναθήματα are joined in one expression with ναούς than with γῆν and νόμους, which are in a different category.