Sophocles Antigone 77

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Antigone

Non enim eas mihi Iupiter statuerat, nec, quae diis Manibus adsidet, Iustitia, qui hasce mortalibus sanxerunt leges; nec tantum valere credidi tua edicta, ut non scriptas firmasque deûm leges, mortalis quum sis, queas convellere. Non enim heri fixae illae sunt aut nudius tertius, sed vigent ab omni aevo, nec quisquam novit, quam dudum prodierint. Has quod violassem, cuiusvis hominis fastu perterrita, sane non debui diis poenas luere. Morituram enim me sciebam, quippini? etiam si tu non indixisses: quod si ante tempus moriar, id esse in lucro deputo. Quicumque enim in multis, ut ego, miseriis vitam degit, si mortem oppetat, qui non ille lucrum ferat? Sic sane mihi fatum hoc nancisci nihil dolet; at si matris meae filium insepultum sustinuissem, id mihi doleret: hisce autem quae feci, non doleo; tibi vero si videor stulte fecisse, propemodum dixerim , stulti iudi- €io stulta sum.

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)) — 77 focus

τὰ τῶν θεῶν ἔντιμ᾽ ἀτιμάσασ᾽ ἔχε.

Greek (A. Boeckh, 1884) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (A. Boeckh, 1884)) — 77 focus

τὰ τῶν θεῶν ἔντιμ᾽ ἀτιμάσασ᾽ ἔχε.

Greek (F. H. Bothe, 1806) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (F. H. Bothe, 1806)) — 77 focus

τὰ τῶν θεῶν ἔντιμ᾽ ἀτιμάσασ᾽ ἔχε.

Greek (Lewis Campbell, 1879) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (Lewis Campbell, 1879)) — 77 focus

τὰ τῶν θεῶν ἔντιμ᾽ ἀτιμάσασ᾽ ἔχε.

Greek (A. Colonna, 1978) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (A. Colonna, 1978)) — 77 focus

τὰ τῶν θεῶν ἔντιμ᾽ ἀτιμάσασ᾽ ἔχε.

Greek (A. Dain, 1955) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (A. Dain, 1955)) — 77.mvp-line-77 focus

τὰ τῶν θεῶν ἔντιμ’ ἀτιμάσασ’ ἔχε.

Greek (R. D. Dawe, 1979) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (R. D. Dawe, 1979)) — 77 focus

τὰ τῶν θεῶν ἔντιμ᾽ ἀτιμάσασ᾽ ἔχε.

Greek (G. Hermann, 1830) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (G. Hermann, 1830)) — 77 focus

τὰ τῶν θεῶν ἔντιμ᾽ ἀτιμάσασ᾽ ἔχε.

Greek (R. C. Jebb, 1906) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (R. C. Jebb, 1906)) — 77 focus

τὰ τῶν θεῶν ἔντιμ᾽ ἀτιμάσασ᾽ ἔχε.

Greek (A. C. Pearson, 1924) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (A. C. Pearson, 1924)) — 77.mvp-line-77 focus

τὰ τῶν θεῶν ἔντιμ᾽ ἀτιμάσασ᾽ ἔχε.

Antigone (OCR draft) Experimental (Antigone) — 77 focus

τὰ τῶν θεῶν ἔντιμʼ ἀτιμάσασʼ ἔχε.

Greek (K. Reinhardt, 1949) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (K. Reinhardt, 1949)) — 77 focus

τὰ τῶν θεῶν ἔντιμ᾽ ἀτιμάσασ᾽ ἔχε.

Translations (10)

German (A. Boeckh, 1884) (OCR draft) Experimental (German (A. Boeckh, 1884)) — 77 focus

WÄCHTER

und greifen rasch sie; ruhig bleibt sie und gefafst.
420

Und jener frühern und der jetzt vollbrachten That

beziehen wir sie: nichts verläugnend stand sie da.

Das ist mir wahrlich Freude, wenn auch Schmerz zugleich.

Denn selber aus Unglückes Noth entronnen seyn

ist sehr erfreulich; doch in Unglück ziehn den Freund
425

ist schmerzlich: aber minder gilt nach meiner Art

mir dennoch alles dieses als mein eigen Wohl.

Spanish (J. A. Bolufer, 1921) (OCR draft) Experimental (Spanish (J. A. Bolufer, 1921)) — 77 focus

ANTIGONA

Como que no era Júpiter quien me las habia había promulgado; ni tampoco Justicia, la compañera de los dioses infernales, ha impuesto esas leyes a los hombres; ni creí yo que tus decretos tuvieran fuerza para borrar e invalidar las leyes divinas, de manera que un mortal pudiese quebrantarlas. Pues no son de hoy ni de ayer, sino que siempre han estado en vigor y nadie sabe cuándo aparecieron. Por esto no debia debía yo, por temor al castigo de ningún hombre, violarlas para exponerme a sufrir el castigo de los dioses. Sabia Sabía que tenía que morir, ¿cómo no?, aunque tú no lo hubieses pregonado. Y si muero antes de tiempo, eso creo yo que gano; pues quien viva, como yo, en medio de tantas desgracias, ¿cómo no lleva ganancia en la muerte? Así que para mi no es pena ninguna el alcanzar muerte violenta; pero lo sería si hubiese tolerado que quedara insepulto el cadáver de mi difunto hermano: eso sí que lo hubiera sentido; esto no me aflige. Y si ahora te parece que soy necia por lo que he hecho, puedo decir que de necia soy acusada por un necio.

English (Lewis Campbell, 1906) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Lewis Campbell, 1906)) — 77 focus

ANT

I heard it not from Heaven, nor came it forth
450

From Justice, where she reigns with Gods below.

They too have published to mankind a law.

Nor thought I thy commandment of such might

That one who is mortal thus could overbear

The infallible, unwritten laws of Heaven.
455

Not now or yesterday they have their being,

But everlastingly, and none can tell

The hour that saw their birth. I would not, I,

For any terror of a man’s resolve,

Incur the God-inflicted penalty
460

Of doing them wrong. That death would come, I knew

Without thine edict;—if before the time,

I count it gain. Who does not gain by death,

That lives, as I do, amid boundless woe?

Slight is the sorrow of such doom to me.
465

But had I suffered my own mother’s child,

Fallen in blood, to be without a grave,

That were indeed a sorrow. This is none.

And if thou deem’st me foolish for my deed,

I am foolish in the judgement of a fool.
470

German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review) (OCR draft) Experimental (German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review)) — 69 focus

Nicht mehr verlang' ich's, möchte dich zur Helferin

Nicht mehr, erklärtest du dich auch bereit dazu.
70

Nein, wähle deinem Sinne nach: ihn werd' ich selbst

Bestatten; ruhmvoll ist der Tod für diese That.

Bei ihm, dem Lieben, werd' ich ruh'n, die Liebende,

Die frommen Frevel übte; muß ich länger doch

Den Todten dort gefallen, als den Lebenden.
75

Denn dort ja ruh' ich ewig; du, wenn dir's gefällt,

Entehre, was in Ehre selbst bei Göttern steht.

Ich acht' es auch der Ehre werth; indeß der Stadt

Zum Troz zu handeln, fühl ich mich nicht stark genug.

Antigone.

So wende du das vor; doch ich geh' unverweilt,
80

Und schütt' ein Grab dem heißgeliebten Bruder auf.

Ismene.

Tollkühne, weh mir! Ha, wie fürcht' ich deinethalb!

Antigone.

Sei nicht um mich bang; sich're du nur dein Geschick!

Ismene.

Doch offenbare ja zuvor Niemand die That;

Im Dunkel birg' sie; gerne schweig' auch ich davon.
85

Antigone.

Ha, laut verkünd' es! Viel verhaßter wirst du mir

Durch Schweigen, offenbarst du's nicht vor aller Welt.

Ismene.

Dir wallt der Busen glühend, wo mich Schauder faßt.

Antigone.

Doch weiß ich hold mir, deren Huld mein Höchstes iſt.

Ismene.

Wenn du's vermöchtest; doch du willst Unmögliches.
90

Nun freilich, wenn ich's nicht vermag, so lass' ich ab.

Auch nicht von Anfang jage nach Unmöglichem.

Antigone.

Durch solche Reden wirst du billig mir verhaßt,

Und billig hassen wird dich auch der Todte dort.

Nein, laß du mich und meines Sinnes Unverstand
95

Dies Grauenvolle dulden. Was ich Schweres auch¹

Erleiden möge, bleibt mir doch ein schöner Tod.

Ismene.

Nun, wenn dir's gut dünkt, ziehe hin: ächt schwesterlich

Als Schwester fühlend gehst du, wenn als Thörin auch.

(Sie gehen nach verschiedenen Seiten ab. Der Chor tritt auf.) Erste Strophe.

Der Chor.

English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759)) — 77 focus

Creon
471cont2

Sprung from a sire perverse and obstinate,

Like him she cannot bend beneath misfortune ;

But know, the proudest hearts may be subdued ;
475

Hast thou not marked the hardest steel by fire

Made soft and flexible ? Myself have seen

By a slight rein the fiery courser held.

"Ks not for slaves to be so haughty ; yet

This proud offender, not content, it seems,
480

To violate my laws, adds crime to crime,

Smiles at my threats, and glories in her guilt ;

If I should suffer her to 'scape my vengeance,

She were the man, not I ; but though she sprang
485

E'en from my sister, were I bound to her

By ties more dear than is Hercsean Jove,

She should not 'scape. Her sister too I find

Accomplice in the deed — go, call her forth !

She is within, I saw her ra\dng there,
490

Her senses lost, the common fate of those

Who practise dark and deadly wickedness.

I cannot bear to see the guilty stand

Convicted of their crimes, and yet pretend

To gloss them o'er with specious names of virtue.

Spanish (A. G. Garbin, 1889) (OCR draft) Experimental (Spanish (A. G. Garbin, 1889)) — 77 focus

EL CENTINELA

407 El hecho ha ocurrido así. Bajo el terror de tus tremendas conminaciones, llegamos allá y barrimos la tierra que cubría el cadáver. Después que dejamos enteramente descubierto aquel cuerpo ya en corrupción, subimos á sentarnos en lo alto de las colinas, al abrigo del viento, y huyendo de los fétidos miasmas. Excitámonos unos á otros á la vigilancia, conminando á todo el que pudiera descuidar la faena. En tal estado permanecimos hasta el momento en que el disco brillante del Sol llegaba al promedio de su carrera, despidiendo fuego abrasador. Súbitamente un furioso huracán levanta en remolino una polvareda que llegaba hasta las nubes, é invadiendo la llanura, arrancaba las hojas á los árboles, extendiéndose la tormenta por el anchuroso Cielo. Nosotros, con los ojos cerrados, soportábamos aquel divino castigo. Pasado el temporal, al cabo de largas horas, percibimos á esa joven, dando gritos agudos y lamentables, cual pájaro que no encuentra á su tierna cría en el desierto nido. De tal modo, al mirar al difunto despojado de la tierra que le cubriera, prorrumpió en gemidos y lanzaba imprecaciones contra los autores de tamaño ultraje. Seguidamente coge con sus propias manos árida tierra con la que cubre el cadáver, honrándole hasta tres veces con fúnebres libaciones, que vierte del fondo de una preciosa copa de bronce. Tan luego como vimos esto, nos arrojamos sobre ella y la prendimos. Y en verdad, ella permaneció impávida. Interrogámosla sobre sus actos anteriores y por el que acababa de consumar, y nada negó absolutamente: confesión que fué para mí grata y dolorosa á la par; gratísima, porque me libertaba del castigo; dolorosa, porque siempre causa tormento exponer á los amigos. Pero ante todo, es lo natural que miremos cada cual por nuestra salvación.

German (F. Hölderlin, 1804) (OCR draft) Experimental (German (F. Hölderlin, 1804)) — 77 focus

ANTIGONAE

Darum. Mein Zevs berichtete mirs nicht;

Noch hier im Haus das Recht der Todesgötter,

Die unter Menschen das Gesez begrenzet ;

Auch dacht’ ich nicht, es sey dein Ausgebot so sehr viel.
470

Dafs eins, das sterben muss, die ungeschriebnen drüber,

Die festen Sazungen im Himmel brechen sollte.

Nicht heut’ und gestern nur, die leben immer,

Und niemand weiss, woher sie sind gekommen.

Drum wollt’ ich unter Himmlischen nicht, aus Furcht
475

Vor eines Manns Gedanken, Strafe wagen.

Ich wufste aber, dass ich sterben mülste.

Warum nicht? hättst du’s auch nicht kundgethan.

Wenn aber vor der Zeit ich sterbe, sag’ ich, dass es

So gar Gewinn ist. Wer, wie ich, viel lebt mit Uebeln,
480

Bekommt doch wohl im Tod ein wenig Vortheil?

So ist es mir, auf solch Schiksaal zu treffen,

Betrübnifs nicht; wenn meiner Mutter Todten,

Als er gestorben, ich grablos gelassen hätte,

Das würde mich betrüben. Aber das
485

Betrübt mich gar nicht. Bin ich aber dir,

Wie ich es that, nun auf die Närrin kummen,

War ich dem Narren fast Narrheit ein wenig schuldig.

CH O R:

Man sieht das rauh Geschlecht vom rauhen Vater

Am Kind! Allein beiseit im Uebel kann’s nicht.
490

English (Sir Richard Jebb1, 1904) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Sir Richard Jebb1, 1904)) — 77 focus

Antigone

450 Yes; for it was not Zeus that had published me that edict; not such are the laws set among men by the Justice who dwells with the gods below; nor deemed I that thy decrees were of such force, that a mortal could override the unwritten and unfailing statutes of heaven. For their life is not of to-day or yesterday, but from all time, and no man knows when they were first put forth. Not through dread of any human pride could I 460 answer to the gods for breaking these. Die I must,— I knew that well (how should I not?)—even without thy edicts. But if Iam to die before my time, I count that a gain: for when any one lives, as I do, compassed about with evils, can such an one find aught but gain in death? OE A A EB om a DON So for me to meet this doom is trifling grief; but if I had suffered my mother’s son to lie in death an unburied corpse, that would have grieved me; for this, I am not grieved. And if my present deeds are foolish 470 in thy sight, it may be that a foolish judge arraigns my folly.

English (Robert Potter, 1788) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Robert Potter, 1788)) — 77 focus

Ismene

But wilt thou kill the bride

Affianced to thy son?

English (Sir Richard Jebb2, 1904) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Sir Richard Jebb2, 1904)) — 100-160 focus

Enter the Chorus on the right.

Chorus

Shaft of the sun, fairest light of all that have dawned on Thebes of the seven gates, you have shone forth at last, eye of golden day, advancing over Dirce’s streams!
100

You have goaded with a sharper bit the warrior of the white shield, who came from Argos in full armor, driving him to headlong retreat.
105

110

Chorus

He set out against our land because of the strife-filled claims of Polyneices, and like a screaming eagle he flew over into our land, covered by his snow-white wing,
110

with a mass of weapons and crested helmets.
115

117

Chorus

He paused above our dwellings; he gaped around our sevenfold portals with spears thirsting for blood; but he left

before his jaws were ever glutted with our gore, or before the Fire-god’s pine-fed flame had seized our crown of towers.
120

So fierce was the crash of battle swelling about his back, a match too hard to win for the rival of the dragon.
125

127

Chorus

For Zeus detests above all the boasts of a proud tongue. And when he saw them advancing in a swollen flood,

arrogant their clanging gold, he dashed with brandished fire one who was already starting to shout victory when he had reached our ramparts.
130

134

Chorus

Staggered, he fell to the earth with a crash,

torch in hand, a man possessed by the frenzy of the mad attack, who just now was raging against us with the blasts of his tempestuous hate. But his threats did not fare as he had hoped, and to the other enemies mighty Ares dispensed each their own dooms with hard blows,
135

Ares, our mighty ally at the turning-point.
140

141

Chorus

For the seven captains, stationed against an equal number at the seven gates, left behind their brazen arms in tribute to Zeus the turner of battle—all but the accursed pair who, born of one father and one

mother, set against each other their spears, both victorious, and who now share in a common death.
145

148

Chorus

But since Victory whose name is glory has come to us, smiling in joy equal to the joy of chariot-rich Thebes ,

let us make for ourselves forgetfulness after the recent wars, and visit all the temples of the gods with night-long dance and song. And may Bacchus, who shakes the earth of Thebes , rule our dancing!
150

155

Chorus

But look, the king of the land is coming here, Creon, the son of Menoeceus, our new ruler in accordance with the new circumstances fated by the gods. What policy is he setting in motion,
155

that he has proposed this special conference of elders, and summoned it by a general mandate?
160

Commentary

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

mvp-comment-124-1 ἐρῶ μὲν οὐχ ¹

mvp-comment-124-2 ὅπως ²

mvp-comment-124-3 τάχους ὕπο ³ τάχους ⁴

mvp-comment-125-1 ἐξάρας ⁵

mvp-comment-125-2 φροντίδων ⁶ ἐπιστάσεις ⁷

mvp-comment-125-3 ὁδοῖς ⁸

mvp-comment-125-4 κυκλῶν ⁹

mvp-comment-126-1 ψυχὴ γὰρ ηὔδα ¹⁰ πολλὰ ¹¹ μυθουμένη ¹²

mvp-comment-127-1 τάλας … τλήμων ¹³

mvp-comment-127-2 μένεις ¹⁴ μενεῖς ¹⁵ αὖ ¹⁶

mvp-comment-127-3 πῶς … οὐκ ¹⁷

mvp-comment-127-4 ἀλγυνεῖ ¹⁸

mvp-comment-128-1 ἑλίσσων ¹⁹

mvp-comment-128-2 ἤνυτον ²⁰

mvp-comment-128-3 σχολῇ βραδύς ²¹

mvp-comment-129-1 τέλος γε μέντοι ²²

mvp-comment-129-2 ἐνίκησεν ²³

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 ²⁴ μολεῖν ²⁵ σοί ²⁶ φράσων ²⁷ φράσω δ ²⁸ κεἰ ²⁹ κεἴ σοι ³⁰ σοί. ³¹

mvp-comment-130-2 τὸ μηδέν ³²

mvp-comment-131-1 τῆς ἐλπίδος ³³

mvp-comment-131-2 δεδραγμένος ³⁴ πεφραγμένος ³⁵ πεπραγμένος ³⁶

mvp-comment-131-3 τὸ μὴ παθεῖν ἄν ³⁷

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 ³⁸

mvp-comment-132-1 ἀνθ’ οὗ ³⁹

mvp-comment-132-2 τὸ γὰρ | πρᾶγμ’ ⁴⁰ γάρ ⁴¹

mvp-comment-133-1 εὖ γε στοχάζει ⁴² στοχάζει ⁴³ ἀποφράγνυσαι ⁴⁴ στοχάζομαι ⁴⁵

mvp-comment-133-2 κἀποφράγνυσαι ⁴⁶

mvp-comment-133-3 τὸ πρᾶγμα ⁴⁷

mvp-comment-134-1 δηλοῖς δ’ ὥς τι ς. ⁴⁸

mvp-comment-135-1 τὰ δεινά ⁴⁹ γάρ ⁵⁰

mvp-comment-135-2 ποτ ⁵¹

mvp-comment-135-3 ἀπαλλαχθείς ⁵²

mvp-comment-136-1 καὶ δή ⁵³

mvp-comment-136-2 θάψας ⁵⁴ κἀπί ⁵⁵

mvp-comment-136-3 διψίαν ⁵⁶

mvp-comment-136-4 κἀφαγιστεύσας ⁵⁷ ἃ χρή ⁵⁸

mvp-comment-137-1 ἀνδρῶν ⁵⁹

mvp-comment-137-2 οὔτε του γενῇδος … οὐ δικέλλης ⁶⁰ οὔτε … οὐ ⁶¹ γενῄς ⁶² γενῄς ⁶³ δίκελλα ⁶⁴

mvp-comment-137-3 δικ. ἐκβολή ⁶⁵ ἐκβ. ⁶⁶ στύφλος ⁶⁷ χέρσος ⁶⁸ ἀρρώξ ⁶⁹

mvp-comment-137-4 ἐπημαξευμένη ⁷⁰ ἐπ‐ ⁷¹ ἐφ‐ ⁷²

mvp-comment-137-5 ἀλλ’ ὁ ἐργάτης ἄσημός τις ἦν ⁷³

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 ⁷⁴ ἡμεροσκ. ⁷⁵

mvp-comment-138-2 δείκνυσι … παρῆν ⁷⁶

mvp-comment-138-3 δυσχερές ⁷⁷

mvp-comment-139-1 ὁ μὲν ⁷⁸

mvp-comment-139-2 τυμβήρης μὲν οὔ ⁷⁹ τυμβ. ⁸⁰ λεπτὴ δ’ … ἐπῆν ⁸¹

mvp-comment-139-3 ἄγος φεύγοντος ὥς ⁸² ἄγος ⁸³

mvp-comment-140-1 θηρός ⁸⁴

mvp-comment-140-2 του ⁸⁵ θηρός ⁸⁶

mvp-comment-140-3 οὐ σπάσαντος ⁸⁷ οὐ ⁸⁸ σπάσαντος ⁸⁹ σπάσαντος οὐδ’ ἐλθόντος ⁹⁰

mvp-comment-141-1 λόγοι δ’ … φύλακα ⁹¹ λόγοι κακοὶ ἐρρόθουν ⁹² ἐρρόθουν ⁹³

mvp-comment-141-2

γλώσσης ῥόθος

, of an unintelligible jargon.

mvp-comment-141-3 ἐλέγχων ⁹⁴

mvp-comment-141-4 κἂν ἐγίγνετο ⁹⁵

mvp-comment-141-5 τελευτῶς ⁹⁶

mvp-comment-141-6 ὁ κωλύσων ⁹⁷

mvp-comment-142-1 ἦν … οὑξειργ. ⁹⁸

mvp-comment-142-2 ἐναργής ⁹⁹

mvp-comment-142-3 ἀλλ’ ¹⁰⁰

mvp-comment-142-4 ἕφευγε μὴ εἰδέναι ¹⁰¹

mvp-comment-142-5 μὴ ¹⁰² εἰδέναι ¹⁰³

mvp-comment-143-1 μύδρους ¹⁰⁴

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 ¹⁰⁵

mvp-comment-144-2 θεοὺς ὁρκ. ¹⁰⁷

mvp-comment-144-3 τὸ μήτε δρ ¹⁰⁸

mvp-comment-144-4 μήτ’ είργασμένῳ ¹⁰⁹ μηδ ¹¹⁰

mvp-comment-145-1 πλέον ¹¹¹

mvp-comment-145-2 λέγει ¹¹²

mvp-comment-145-3 τις εἷς ¹¹³

mvp-comment-146-1 προὔτρεψεν ¹¹⁴

mvp-comment-146-2 οὐ γὰρ εἴχομεν ¹¹⁵

mvp-comment-146-3 As ἀντιφωνεῖν ¹¹⁶ δρῶντες ¹¹⁷ ὅπως δρῶντες ¹¹⁸ εἴχομεν ¹¹⁹

mvp-comment-147-1 σοί ¹²⁰

mvp-comment-147-2 ταῦτ’ ἐνίκα ¹²¹

mvp-comment-147-3 πάλος ¹²² καθαιρεῖ ¹²³

mvp-comment-147-4 τἀγαθόν ¹²⁴ —ἄκων οὐχ ἑκοῦσιν ¹²⁵

mvp-comment-148-1 ἐμοί ¹²⁶ βουλεύει ¹²⁷ μή ¹²⁸

mvp-comment-148-2 τι ¹²⁹

mvp-comment-148-3 θεήλατον, ¹³⁰

mvp-comment-148-4 ἡ ξύννοια ¹³¹

mvp-comment-148-5 πάλαι ¹³²

mvp-comment-149-1 πρὶν ὀργῆς καί με μεστῶσαι ¹³³ καί ¹³⁴ πρίν ¹³⁵ μεστῶσαι ¹³⁶ καί ¹³⁷ με ¹³⁸

mvp-comment-149-2 κἀμέ ¹³⁹

mvp-comment-149-3 μεστῶσαι ¹⁴⁰

mvp-comment-150-1 πότερον ¹⁴¹ ἔκρυπτον ¹⁴²

mvp-comment-150-2 ἀμφικίονας ναούς ¹⁴³

mvp-comment-150-3 κἀναθήματα ¹⁴⁴

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 ¹⁴⁵ πυρώσων ¹⁴⁶

mvp-comment-150-6 νόμους διασκεδῶν ¹⁴⁷

mvp-comment-150-7 διασκεδῶν ¹⁴⁸

mvp-comment-151-1 τοὺς κακοὺς τιμῶντας … θεούς; ¹⁴⁹

mvp-comment-152-1 ταῦτα ¹⁵⁰ μόλις φέροντες ¹⁵¹ καὶ πάλαι ¹⁵²

mvp-comment-152-2 πόλεως ἄνδρες ¹⁵³

mvp-comment-152-3 ἐρρόθουν ¹⁵⁴

mvp-comment-152-4 ἐμοί ¹⁵⁵

mvp-comment-152-5 κάρα σείοντες ¹⁵⁶

mvp-comment-152-6 ὑπὸ ζυγῷ ¹⁵⁷

mvp-comment-152-7 λόφον ¹⁵⁸

mvp-comment-152-8 δικαίως ¹⁵⁹

mvp-comment-152-9 equal poise’ ( New Crat. 371).—

ὡς = ὥστε

( O. T. 84 ): στέργειν ¹⁶⁰

mvp-comment-153-1 τῶνδε ¹⁶¹ ἐκ ¹⁶²

mvp-comment-153-2 τούτους, ¹⁶³

mvp-comment-153-3 εἰργάσθαι ¹⁶⁴ ἐξεπίσταμαι ¹⁶⁵ παρηγμένους ¹⁶⁶

mvp-comment-154-1 νόμισμ’ ¹⁶⁷

mvp-comment-154-2 ἔβλαστε ¹⁶⁸

mvp-comment-154-3 πορθεῖ ¹⁶⁹

mvp-comment-154-4 τόδ’ ¹⁷⁰ ἄνδρας ¹⁷¹

mvp-comment-155-1 τόδ’ ἐκδ. καὶ παραλλάσσει ¹⁷² ἵστασθαι ¹⁷³ καὶ παραλλάσσει ¹⁷⁴

mvp-comment-155-2 ἵστασθαι πρός τι ¹⁷⁵

mvp-comment-156-1 πανουργίας … ἔχειν ¹⁷⁶

mvp-comment-156-2 εἰδέναι ¹⁷⁷ παντὸς ἔργου δυσσέβ. ¹⁷⁸ παντὸς ἔργ ¹⁷⁹ πανουργίας ¹⁸⁰

mvp-comment-157-1 ἤνυσαν ¹⁸¹

mvp-comment-157-2 χρόνῳ ποτέ ¹⁸² δοῦναι δίκην ¹⁸³

mvp-comment-157-3 ἐξέπραξαν ὡς ¹⁸⁴

mvp-comment-158-1 Ζεύς ¹⁸⁵

mvp-comment-158-2 ὅρκιος ¹⁸⁶

mvp-comment-158-3 τὸν αὐτόχειρα ¹⁸⁷ τάφου = ταφῆς ¹⁸⁸

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

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.

289-290. mvp-comment-170-1 ἀλλὰ ταῦτα.. ἐμοί But this explains the murmurs I have long been hearing from men in the city against me;' i. e. Those murmurs have become explicit in this act. Οη ταῦτα, see Essay on Language § 17. p. 25; and for the dative ἐμοί, at me, ib. § 12. p. 18. μόλις φέροντες, which some have connected with ταῦτα (ταῦτα μόλις φέροντες, 'Bearing my edict ill'), seems to be used absolutely, sc. τὸ ἐμὸν ζυγόν, with an allusion to the metaphor in what follows. Cp. Thuc. 5. 80, θυμῷ ἔφερον, sc. τὸν πόλεμον ἢ τὰ πράγματα.

291. mvp-comment-171-1 'Covertly shaking the head,' like an animal preparing to throw off the yoke.

292. mvp-comment-172-1 δικαίως Rightly; i. e. As I had a right to expect that they should.

292. mvp-comment-172-2 ὡς στέργειν ἐμέ So as to accept my sway. To this it has been objected that στέργω implies affectionate allegiance. But this notion, although inherent in the etymology of the word, is dropped in use. Cp. Phil. 538, ἐγὼ δ' ἀνάγκῃ προὔμαθον στέργειν κακά : Aesch. Prom. 11, τὴν Δίος τυραννίδα | στέργειν. What hope was there that Prometheus would be made loyal by loyal torments? The other interpretation, So that I should be content (cp. Phil. 458, τούτους ἐγὼ τοὺς ἄνδρας οὐ στέρξω ποτέ), would give but feeble expression to the self-will of Creon. The substitution for these words of εὐλόφως φέρειν from the citation of Eustathius, with the further change of νῶτον for λόφον, is rightly rejected by Dind., who points out that Eustathius, probably quoting from memory, has confused this passage with one of Lycophron.

293. mvp-comment-173-1 ἐκ τῶνδε By these malcontents. Supr. 290.

293. mvp-comment-173-2 τούτους (1) These guards. Infr. ll. 304 ff., supr. 260 ff.: or (2) simply τοὺς εἰργασμένους. The whole of this picture of discontent is the creation of Creon's anger from the hesitation of the chorus when told to see to the execution of the decree. Supr. 215 ff.

294. mvp-comment-174-1 There is a stress on μισθοῖσιν, preparing for what follows.

296. mvp-comment-175-1 νόμισμα, usually = Current coin, is here used in the more general sense which includes this. No such pestilent usance as money is, ever sprang up amongst mankind.

298. mvp-comment-176-1 The object of ἐκδιδάσκει, SC.

298. mvp-comment-176-2 χρηστοὺς αἰσχρά, is absorbed in the expansion of the sentence.

299. mvp-comment-177-1 πρὸς .. ἵστασθαι Το address themselves to shameful enterprizes.' Cp. Thuc. 6. 34. § 7, τῶν δ᾽ ἀνθρώπων πρὸς τὰ λεγόμενα καὶ αἱ γνῶμαι ἵστανται.

300. mvp-comment-178-1 πανουργίας The plural of the abstract noun gives the concrete notion.

300. mvp-comment-178-2 πανουργίας ἔχειν, like θήραν ἔχειν, Αj. 564: ὕβριν ἔχειν, Od. 1. 368, etc.

301. mvp-comment-179-1 παντὸς ἔργου δυσσέβειαν The impiety of every deed; i. e. Every kind of impiety in action. Cp. O.T. 864-865, εὔσεπτον ἁγνείαν λόγων | ἔργων τε πάντων.

303. mvp-comment-180-1 He implies, This cannot be their first act of disloyalty.' The unity of time is not to be pressed in the Antigone: see below, 11. 1064 ff. Else this suspicion of inveterate disaffection, against one who has reigned only for a few hours, would be too extravagant. The elders were selected for their loyalty. supr. 165 ff.