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Quam tu tantopere colis, maximam urbium, unacum matre, fulminis ventis adfata.

Quin et nunc, quando universa civitas fero colluctatur morbo, adveni salutifero pede, Parnasium superans iugum, aut resonans maris fretum.

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)) — 1137 focus

τὰν ἐκ πασᾶν
1130

τιμᾷς ὑπερτάταν πόλεων

ματρὶ σὺν κεραυνίᾳ·

καὶ νῦν, ὡς βιαίας

ἔχεται πάνδημος πόλις

ἐπὶ νόσου, ¹ μολεῖν ποδὶ
1135

καθαρσίῳ Παρνασίαν

ὑπὲρ κλιτὺν, ἢ

στονόεντα πορθμόν.

b

Greek (A. Boeckh, 1884) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (A. Boeckh, 1884)) — 1137 focus

τὰν ἐκ πασᾶν τιμᾷς ὑπερτάταν πόλεων

ματρὶ σὺν κεραυνίᾳ·

καί νυν, ὡς βιαίας

ἔχεται πάνδημος ἀμὰ πόλις ἐπὶ νόσου,

μολεῖν καθαρσίῳ ποδὶ Παρνησσίαν
1090

ὑπὲρ κλιτὺν ἢ στονόεντα πορθμόν.

2

Greek (F. H. Bothe, 1806) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (F. H. Bothe, 1806)) — 1137 focus

τὰν ἔμπας σὺ τιμᾷς

ὑπερτάταν πόλεων,

ματρὶ σὺν κεραυνίᾳ·

καὶ νῦν, ὡς βιαίας ἔχεται πόλις
1120

πάνδημος νόσου, ποδὶ καθαρσίω,

μολεῖν κλιτὺν ὑπὲρ Παρνασίαν,

ἢ στονόεντα πορθμόν!

2

Greek (Lewis Campbell, 1879) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (Lewis Campbell, 1879)) — 1137 focus

τὰν ἐκ πασᾶν τιμᾷς ὑπερτάταν πόλεων

ματρὶ σὺν κεραυνίᾳ·

καὶ νύν, ὡς βιαίας
1140

ἔχεται πάνδαμος *ἀμὰ πόλις ἐπὶ νόσου,

μολεῖν καθαρσίῳ ποδὶ Παρνασίαν

ὑπὲρ κλιτύν, ἢ στονόεντα πορθμόν.
1145
β

Greek (A. Colonna, 1978) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (A. Colonna, 1978)) — 1137 focus

τὰν ἐκ πασᾶν τιμᾷς

ὑπερτάταν πόλεων

ματρὶ σὺν κεραυνίᾳ·

καὶ νῦν, ὡς βιαίας ἔχεται
1140

πάνδαμος πόλις ἐπὶ νόσου,

μολεῖν καθαρσίῳ ποδὶ Παρνασίαν

ὑπὲρ κλιτύν, ἢ στονόεντα πορθμόν.
1145
2

Greek (A. Dain, 1955) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (A. Dain, 1955)) — 1137 focus

τὰν ἐκ πασᾶν τιμᾷς

ὑπερτάταν πόλεων

ματρὶ σὺν κεραυνίᾳ·

καὶ νῦν, ὡς βιαίας ἔχεται
1140

πάνδαμος πόλις ἐπὶ νόσου,

μολεῖν καθαρσίῳ ποδὶ Παρνασίαν

ὑπὲρ κλιτύν, ἢ στονόεντα πορθμόν.
1145
2

Greek (R. D. Dawe, 1979) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (R. D. Dawe, 1979)) — 1137 focus

τὰν ἐκ πασᾶν τιμᾶις

ὑπερτάταν πόλεων

ματρὶ σὺν κεραυνίαι·

καὶ νῦν, ὡς βιαίας ἔχεται
1140

πάνδαμος πόλις ἐπὶ νόσου,

μολεῖν καθαρσίωι ποδὶ Παρνασίαν

ὑπὲρ κλειτὺν ἢ στονόεντα πορθμόν.
1145

2

Greek (G. Hermann, 1830) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (G. Hermann, 1830)) — 1137 focus

τὰν ἐκ πασᾶν τιμᾷς

ὑπερτάταν πόλεων
1125

ματρὶ σὺν κεραυνίᾳ·

καὶ νύν, ὡς βιαίας ἔχεται πανδήμιος

πόλις ἐπὶ νόσου, μολεῖν

καθαρσίῳ ποδὶ Παρνησσίαν
1130

ὑπὲρ κλιτύν, ἢ στονόεντα πορθμόν.

2

Greek (R. C. Jebb, 1906) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (R. C. Jebb, 1906)) — 1137 focus

τὰν ἐκ πασᾶν τιμᾷς ὑπερτάταν πόλεων 1

ματρὶ σὺν κεραυνίᾳ· 2

καὶ νῦν, ὡς βιαίας ἔχεται 3
1140

πάνδαμος πόλις ἐπὶ νόσου, 4

μολεῖν καθαρσίῳ ποδὶ Παρνασίαν ὑπὲρ κλιτὺν 5

ἢ στονόεντα πορθμόν. 6
1145
2

Greek (A. C. Pearson, 1924) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (A. C. Pearson, 1924)) — 1137 focus

τὰν ἐκ πασᾶν τιμᾷς

ὑπερτάταν πόλεων

ματρὶ σὺν κεραυνίᾳ·

καὶ νῦν, ὡς βιαίας ἔχεται
1140

πάνδαμος πόλις ἐπὶ νόσου,

μολεῖν καθαρσίῳ ποδὶ Παρνασσίαν

ὑπὲρ κλιτύν, ἢ στονόεντα πορθμόν.
1145

Antigone (OCR draft) Experimental (Antigone) — 1137 focus

Χορός

τὰν ἐκ πᾶσαι τιμᾷς ὑπερτάταν πόλεων

ματρὶ σὺν κεραυνίᾳ·

καὶ νῦν, ὡς βιαίας ἔχεται
1140

πάνδαμος πόλις ἐπὶ νόσου,

μολεῖν καθαρσίῳ ποδὶ Παρνασίαν ὑπὲρ κλιτὺν

ἢ στονόεντα πορθμόν.
1145

Greek (K. Reinhardt, 1949) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (K. Reinhardt, 1949)) — 1137 focus

τὰν ἐκ πασᾶν τιμᾶις

ὑπερτάταν πόλεων

ματρὶ σὺν κεραυνίαι·

καὶ νῦν, ὡς βιαίας ἔχεται
1140

πάνδαμος πόλις ἐπὶ νόσου,

μολεῖν καθαρσίωι ποδὶ Παρνασίαν

ὑπὲρ κλιτὺν ἢ στονόεντα πορθμόν.
1145

Translations (10)

German (A. Boeckh, 1884) (OCR draft) Experimental (German (A. Boeckh, 1884)) — 1137 focus

die weit du, weit vorziehst an Ehren jeglicher Stadt,

mit der Donnermutter du!

Komme jetzt, da graunvoll

das gesammte Land des Weh's herbe Gewalt erfafst,

sühnvollen Fufses über der Parnassoshöh'n
1090

Geklüft steigend oder die wilde Meerfurt!

Gegenstr. 2.

Spanish (J. A. Bolufer, 1921) (OCR draft) Experimental (Spanish (J. A. Bolufer, 1921)) — 1137 focus

extraordinariamente honras sobre todas las ciudades, con tu madre, la herida del rayo. Y ahora que toda nuestra ciudad está infestada de violenta pestilencia, ven con saludable pie por encima del monte Parnaso y el resonante estrecho.

English (Lewis Campbell, 1906) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Lewis Campbell, 1906)) — 1137 focus

First of cities manifold,

Thou and the nymph whom lightning made

Mother of thy radiant head.

Come then with healing for the violent woe
1140

That o’er our peopled land doth largely flow,

Passing the high Parnassian steep

Or moaning narrows of the deep!
1145

Come, leader of the starry quire
1145

German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review) (OCR draft) Experimental (German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review)) — 1137 focus

Der Stadt, die du weit höher ehrst als jegliche Stadt,

Samt der Mutter, die des Zeus¹

Donner traf! Auch nun komm,
1110

Da gewaltig schwere Noth über das ganze Land

Einstürmte, rettend über des Parnassos Höh'n

Daher, oder über die wilde Meerfurt!

Zweite Gegenstrophe.

English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759)) — 1155 focus

Chorus.

Messenger

Ye race of Cadmus, sons of ancient

Thebes,

Henceforth no state of human life by me

Shall be or valued or despised : for all

Depends on fortune ; she exalts the low.

And casts the mighty down. The fate of men

Can never be foretold. There was a time

When Creon lived in envied happiness,

Ruled o'er renowned Thebes, which from her foes

He had delivered, with successful power;

Blest in his kingdom, in his children blest,

He stretched o'er all his universal sway.

Now all is gone : when pleasure is no more,

Man is but an animated corse,

Nor can be said to live ; he may be rich.

Or decked with regal honours, but if joy

Be absent from him, if he tastes them not, I

'Tis useless grandeur all, and empty shade. \

Chorus

Touching our royal master, bringst thou news

Of sorrow to us?

Messenger

They are dead ; and those
1175

Who live the dreadful cause.
1175

Choe. Quick, tell us who —
1175

The slayer and the slain !
1175

Messenger

Hsemon is dead.

Cttor. Dead ! by what hand, his father's or his own ?

Mets. Enraged and grieving for liis murdered love,

He slew himself.

Chorus

O proijhet ! thy predictions

Were bnt too true !

Messenger

Since thus it be, 'tis fit

We should consult ; our present state demands it,

Chorus

But see ! Eurydice, the wretched wife
1180

Of Creon, comes this way ; or chance hath brought her.

Or Haemon's hapless fate hath reached her ear.

Eurydice
Scene II.

Spanish (A. G. Garbin, 1889) (OCR draft) Experimental (Spanish (A. G. Garbin, 1889)) — 1137 focus

La ciudad honrada con su predilección entre todas, del propio modo que lo fué por tu madre herida por el rayo. ln estos momentos en que una plaga terrible amenaza á todos estos ciudadanos, ven á nosotros, salva con rápido pie la cumbre del Parnaso ó las olas mugidoras del Estrecho.

Antistrofa 2.a

CORO

German (F. Hölderlin, 1804) (OCR draft) Experimental (German (F. Hölderlin, 1804)) — 1137 focus

Denn die ehrst du vor allen

Als höchste der Städte

Mit der blizgetroffenen Mutter.

Jezt aber, da von gewaltiger

Krankheit die ganze Stadt |
1190

Ist befangen, müssen wir

Der Bufse Schritte gehen über

Den Parnassischen Hügel oder

Die seufzende Furth.

English (Sir Richard Jebb1, 1904) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Sir Richard Jebb1, 1904)) — 1137 focus

Thebè, of all cities, thou holdest first in honour, thou, and thy mother whom the lightning smote; and 1140 now, when all our people is captive to a violent plague, come thou with healing feet over the Parnassian height, or over the moaning strait! 2

English (Robert Potter, 1788) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Robert Potter, 1788)) — 1137 focus

On thee attends thy raptur'd train,

Raises the high immortal strain,

And hails thee guardian of the Theban tow'rs.

The Theban tow'rs their rampires rear,

Thy guardian care their boast, their pride;
1140

They to thy mother too were dear,
1140

Who in the flaming thunder died.

Now, while her banners Discord waves,

While through our streets Confusion raves,

Prompt to avert our threaten'd woe

Haste from the steep Parnassian brow,
1145

Or from Euboea's groaning shore,
1145

English (Sir Richard Jebb2, 1904) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Sir Richard Jebb2, 1904)) — 1155-1260 focus

Enter Messenger, on the spectators’ left.

Messenger

Neighbors of the house of Cadmus and of Amphion, there is no station of human life that I would ever praise or blame as being settled. Fortune sets upright and Fortune sinks the lucky and unlucky from day to day,
1155

and no one can prophesy to men concerning the order that has just been established. For Creon, as I saw it, was once blest: he had saved this land of Cadmus from its enemies; and having won sole and total dominion in the land, he guided it on a straight course and flourished in his noble crop of children.
1160

And now all this has been lost. When a man has forfeited his pleasures, I do not reckon his existence as life, but consider him just a breathing corpse. Heap up riches in your house, if you wish! Live with a tyrant’s pomp! But if there is no joy
1165

along with all of that, I would not pay even the shadow of smoke for all the rest, compared with joy.
1170

Chorus

What is this new grief for our princes that you have come to report?

Messenger

They are dead, and the living are guilty of the deaths.

Chorus

Who is the murderer? Who the murdered? Tell us.

Messenger

Haemon is dead—his blood was shed by no strange hand.
1175

Chorus

Was it his father’s, or his own ?

Messenger

He did it by his own, enraged with his father for the murder.

Chorus

Ah, prophet, how true, then, you have proved your word!

Messenger

Knowing that these things are so, you must consider the rest.

Chorus

Wait, I see the unhappy Eurydice, Creon’s wife, nearby. She comes from the house either knowing of her son, or merely by chance.
1180

1183 Enter Eurydice.

Eurydice

People of Thebes , I heard your words as I was on my way to the gates to address divine Pallas with my prayers.

At one and the same time I was loosening the bolts of the gate to open it, and the sound of a blow to our house struck my ear. In terror I sank back into the arms of my handmaids, and my senses fled.
1185

But repeat what your news was, for I shall hear it with ears that are no strangers to sorrow.
1190

Messenger

Dear mistress, I will tell what I witnessed and leave no word of the truth unspoken. For what good would it do that should I soothe you with words in which I must later be found false?

The truth is always best. I attended your husband as his guide to the furthest part of the plain, where unpitied the body of Polyneices, torn by dogs, still lay. After we had prayed to the goddess of the roads
1195

and to Pluto to restrain their anger in mercy, we washed him with pure washing, and with freshly-plucked boughs we burned what remains there were. Lastly we heaped a high-mounded tomb of his native earth. Afterwards we turned away to enter the maiden’s stoney-bedded
1200

bridal chamber, the caverned mansion of Hades’ bride. From a distance, one of us servants heard a voice of loud wailing near that bride’s unwept bed and came to tell our master Creon. And as the King moved closer and closer, obscure signs rising from a bitter cry surrounded him—
1205

he groaned and said in bitter lament, Ah, misery, am I now the prophet of evil? Am I going on the path most lined with grief of all that I have walked before? My son’s voice greets me. Go, my servants,
1210

hurry closer, and when you have reached the tomb, enter the opening where the stones of the mound have been torn away, up to the cell’s very mouth. See if it is Haemon’s voice that I recognize, or if I am cheated by the gods.
1215

1219

This search, at our desperate master’s word,

we went to make, and in the furthest part of the tomb we saw her hanging by the neck, fastened by a halter of fine linen threads, while he was embracing her with arms thrown around her waist, bewailing the loss of his bride to the spirits below, as well as his father’s deeds, and his grief-filled marriage.
1220

But his father, when he saw him, cried aloud with a dreadful cry and went in and called to him with a voice of wailing: Ah, unhappy boy, what have you done! What plan have you seized on? By what misfortune have you lost your reason?
1225

Come out, my son, I pray you, I beg you! But the boy glared at him with savage eyes, spat in his face, and without a word in response drew his twin-edged sword. As his father rushed out in flight, he missed his aim. Then the ill-fated boy was enraged with himself
1230

and straightway stretched himself over his sword and drove it, half its length, into his side. Still conscious, he clasped the maiden in his faint embrace, and, as he gasped, he shot onto her pale cheek a swift stream of oozing blood.
1235

Corpse enfolding corpse he lay, having won his marriage rites, poor boy, not here, but in Hades’ palace, and having shown to mankind by how much the failure to reason wisely is the most severe of all afflictions assigned to man. Eurydice departs into the house.
1240

1244

Chorus

What would you infer from this? The lady

has turned back and gone without a word, either for good or for evil.
1245

Messenger

I, too, am startled. Still I am nourished by the hope that at the grave news of her son she thinks it unworthy to make her laments before the city, but in the shelter of her home will set her handmaids to mourn the house’s grief.

For she is not unhabituated to discretion, that she should err.
1250

Chorus

I do not know. But to me, in any case, a silence too strict seems to promise trouble just as much as a fruitless abundance of weeping.

Messenger

I will find out whether she is not, in fact, hiding some repressed plan in the darkness of her passionate heart.

I will go in, since you are right—in an excess of silence, too, there may be trouble. Exit Messenger.
1255

1257

Enter Creon, attended and carrying the shrouded body of Haemon, on the spectators’ left.

Chorus

Look, here is the King himself approaching, his hands grasping a monument plainly signing that his—if we may say it—and no one else’s,

was the madness of this error.
1260

Commentary

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

mvp-comment-187-1 φθέγμα ¹

mvp-comment-187-2 beginnings of speech...Speech is the development, through imitation, of a capacity of man—the capacity of making a noise.’ This is quite compatible with

ἐδιδάξατο.

mvp-comment-187-3 ἀνεμόεν φρόνημα ²

mvp-comment-188-1 ἀστυνόμους ὀργάς ³

mvp-comment-189-1 ἐδιδάξατο ⁴

mvp-comment-190-1 πάγων ⁵

mvp-comment-190-2 ἐναίθρεια ⁶

mvp-comment-190-3 βέλη ⁸

mvp-comment-191-1 παντοπόρος ⁹

mvp-comment-191-2

οὐδὲν … τὸ μέλλον = οὐδὲν ὃ μέλλει

(

ἔσεσθαι

), nothing that is to be (cp. the absolute

τὸ μέλλον, τὰ μέλλοντα

). So Plat. Lach. 197 A

ἔγωγε ἀνδρεῖα καλῶ οὔτε θηρία οὔτε ἄλλο οὐδὲν τὸ τὰ δεινὰ ὑπὸ ἀγνοίας μὴ φοβούμενον = οὐδὲν ὃ μὴ φοβεῖται

. This negative form is as correct as (though actually rarer than) the positive

πᾶν τὸ καλῶς ἔχον

( Plat. Rep. 381A ) for

πᾶν ὃ καλῶς ἔχει

. Donaldson took

τὸ μέλλον

adverbially: ‘in regard to the future, he comes to nothing without resources.’ Cp. 728 ,

μηδὲν τὸ μὴ δίκαιον

, where

μηδέν

is subst., not adv.

mvp-comment-192-1 μόνον ¹⁰ μόνου ¹¹ φεῦξιν — ἐπάξεται ¹²

mvp-comment-193-1 ἀμηχάνων ¹³

mvp-comment-193-2 φυγάς ¹⁴

mvp-comment-193-3 ξυμπέφρασται ¹⁵

mvp-comment-194-1 The ode closes with a more direct reference to the incident which suggested its theme. The daring ingenuity shown by the unknown breaker of Creon's edict is an instance of the subtlety which leads to ruin. The implied contrast with Creon—

ὑψίπολις

by his care for the laws—is effective in view of the destined

περιπέτεια

mvp-comment-194-2 σοφόν τι … ἔχων ¹⁶

mvp-comment-194-3 τὸ μηχανόεν τ ¹⁷

mvp-comment-195-1 τοτὲ μὲν … ἄλλοτ’ ¹⁸

mvp-comment-195-2 ἐπ’ ¹⁹

mvp-comment-196-1 γεραίρων ²⁰

mvp-comment-196-2 5. 67

ἐτίμων τὸν Ἄδρηστον καὶ δὴ πρὸς τὰ πάθεα αὐτοῦ τραγικοῖσι χοροῖσι ἐγέραιρον

. Ar. Th. 960

γένος Ὀλυμπίων θεῶν | μέλπε καὶ γέραιρε φωνῇ

mvp-comment-197-1 θεῶν τ’ ἔνορκον δίκαν ²¹

mvp-comment-198-1 ὑψίπολις ²²

mvp-comment-198-2 ἄπολις ²³

mvp-comment-198-3 τὸ μὴ καλόν ²⁴ τόλμας χάριν ²⁵

mvp-comment-199-1 παρέστιος ²⁶

mvp-comment-199-2 ἴσον φρονῶν ²⁷

mvp-comment-200-1 ἔρδει ²⁸ ἔρδοι ²⁹

mvp-comment-202-1 The choral ode has closed with an allusion to the unknown man ( ὅς ³⁰ ἀμφινοῶ ³¹ ἐς ³²

mvp-comment-202-2 δαιμόνιον τέρας ³³

mvp-comment-203-1 πῶς εἰδὼς ³⁴

mvp-comment-203-2 ἀντιλογήσω ³⁵

mvp-comment-204-1 ὦ δύστηνος ³⁶

mvp-comment-204-2 δ. πατρός ³⁷

mvp-comment-204-3 Οἰδιπόδα— ³⁸

mvp-comment-205-1 τί ποτ’ ³⁹

mvp-comment-205-2 οὐ δή που ⁴⁰

mvp-comment-205-3 ἀπιστοῦσαν ⁴¹

mvp-comment-205-4 ἄγουσι ⁴²

mvp-comment-205-5 colloquialism, it would be nearly as bad as, ‘Have they taken you up?’

mvp-comment-205-6 καὶ ⁴³ ἀπιστοῦσαν ⁴⁴ καθελόντες ⁴⁵

mvp-comment-206-1 Second

ἐπεισόδιον

. Antigone, brought before Creon, avows and justifies her deed. Creon declares that she shall die. Ismene, when led in (531), associates herself with the act, but is not permitted by her sister to claim any part in it. Creon orders that both sisters shall be kept prisoners.

mvp-comment-206-2 ἐκείνη ⁴⁶

mvp-comment-206-3 τοὔργον ἡ ’ξειργ ⁴⁷

mvp-comment-207-1 ἐς δέον ⁴⁸

mvp-comment-208-1 ξύμμετρος ⁴⁹

mvp-comment-209-1 ἀπώμοτον ⁵⁰

mvp-comment-210-1 ψεύδει ⁵¹

mvp-comment-210-2 ἡ ’πίνοια ⁵²

mvp-comment-211-1 ἐξηύχουν ἄν ⁵³ σχολῇ ἥξειν ποτὲ δεῦρο ⁵⁴

mvp-comment-211-2 σχολῇ ⁵⁵

mvp-comment-212-1 ταῖς σαῖς ἀπειλαῖς ⁵⁶

mvp-comment-212-2 ἐχειμάσθην ⁵⁷

mvp-comment-213-1 ἡ...ἐκτὸς ⁵⁸ ἐκτός ⁵⁹

mvp-comment-214-1 οὐδὲν ἔοικε μῆκος ⁶⁰ α+λλῃ ἡδονῇ ⁶¹ οὐδέν ⁶² μῆκος ⁶³ ἔοικε ⁶⁴

mvp-comment-215-1 δῑ ὅρκων … ἀπώμοτος ⁶⁵

mvp-comment-216-1 καθῃρέθη ⁶⁶

mvp-comment-216-2 τάφον κοσμοῦσα ⁶⁷

mvp-comment-216-3 ἐπάλλετο ⁶⁸ ἕρμαιον ⁶⁹

mvp-comment-217-1 κρῖνε ⁷⁰

mvp-comment-217-2 δίκαιός εἰμι ⁷¹

mvp-comment-217-3 ἀπηλλάχθαι ⁷²

mvp-comment-218-1 Observe the order of the words as marking his amazement. For the double interrog. cp. Il. 21.150

τίς πόθεν ει<*>=ς ἀνδρῶν

; Ph. 243

τίνι | στόλῳ προσέσχες τήνδε γῆν, πόθεν πλέων;

mvp-comment-218-2 πάντ’ ἐπίστασαι ⁷³

mvp-comment-219-1 ἦ καὶ ⁷⁴

mvp-comment-219-2 ὀρθῶς ⁷⁵

mvp-comment-219-3 mean to say? (Not, merely, ‘truly,’ i.e. in accordance with the fact: cp. 99 n.)

mvp-comment-220-1 τὸν νεκρόν ⁷⁶

mvp-comment-221-1 ἆρ’ ἔνδηλα ⁷⁷

mvp-comment-222-1 ὁρᾶται...ᾑρέθη ⁷⁸

mvp-comment-222-2 ἐπίληπτος ⁷⁹

mvp-comment-223-1 ἥκομεν ⁸¹

mvp-comment-224-1 τὰ δείν’ ἐκεῖν’ ⁸²

mvp-comment-224-2 τὸν | νέκυν ⁸³

mvp-comment-225-1 καθήμεθ’ ⁸⁴

mvp-comment-225-2 ἄκρων ἐκ πάγων ⁸⁵

mvp-comment-225-3

ἐξ Οὐλύμποιο ἀπὸ ῥίου

. Here,

ἀπὸ ῥίου

goes with

εἰσεῖδε

: but

ἐξ Οὐλύμποιο

, however much

εἰσεῖδε

may have influenced it, at least cannot be disjoined from

στᾶσ’

. (2) Eur. Phoen. 1009

ἀλλ’ εἶμι καὶ στὰς ἐξ ἐπάλξεων ἄκρων | σφάξας ἐμαυτὸν σηκὸν εἰς μελαμβαθῆ | δράκοντος, ἔνθ’ ὁ μάντις ἐξηγήσατο, | ἐλευθερώσω γαῖαν

. It is impossible to sever

στάς

from

ἐξ ἐπ.

, even if we partly explain

ἐξ

σφάξας

. (3) ib. 1224

Ἐτεοκλέης δ’ ὑπῆρξ’ ἀπ’ ὀρθίου σταθεὶς | πύργου κελεύσας σῖγα κηρῦξαι στρατῷ

. The position of

σταθείς

forbids us to sever it from

ἀπ’ ὀρθ. π.

, even though

ὑπῆρξε

κελεύσας

is used to explain

ἀπό

. (4) Eur. Tro. 522

ἀνὰ δ’ ἐβόασεν λεὼς | Τρῳάδος ἀπὸ πέτρας σταθείς

. A similar case. In all these passages, a picture is presented, and we have to glance from a remoter to a nearer object. The mental eye is required to measure the space between Hera on the peak of Olympus, and Poseidon on the plain of Troy; between Megareus on the walls of Thebes, and the cavern into which his corpse is to fall. And, in each case,

ἐκ

ἀπό

denotes the quarter in which the remoter object is to be looked for. This, which might be called the ‘surveying’ use, is distinct from that in which the prep. has a pregnant force, as being directly suggestive of motion (

οἱ ἐκ Σικελίας ἥξουσι

); but it springs from the same mental tendency,—viz., to take a rapid glance over the dividing interval. Cp.

ἵστασθαι πρός τινος

(‘on his side’). So here: in the foreground of the picture is the corpse, which they have just laid bare. Now look to the hillocks behind it; in that quarter you will see the guards at their post.—I have not cited Od. 21.419

τόν ῥ’ ἐπὶ πήχει ἑλὼν ἕλκεν νευρὴν γλυφίδας τε | αὐτόθεν ἐκ δίφροιο καθήμενος

, because there

ἐκ δίφροιο

goes with

ἕλκεν

, not with

καθήμενος

(he drew the bow, just from the chair, where he sat).

mvp-comment-225-4 ὑπήνεμοι ⁸⁶

mvp-comment-226-1 βάλῃ ⁸⁷

mvp-comment-227-1 ἐγερτί ⁸⁸

mvp-comment-227-2 κινῶν ⁸⁹

mvp-comment-227-3 ἐπιρρόθοις κακοῖσιν ⁹⁰

mvp-comment-227-4 the adj. expressing the loud, continuous noise of tongues. The

ἐπι

- does not mean ‘bandied to and fro’: see Tr. 263

πολλὰ μὲν λόγοις | ἐπερρόθησε

. In fr. 521

ἐπίρροθα δώματα

=‘open to reproach.’ Elsewhere (as with Aesch.)

ἐπίρροθος

= ‘helper’ (

ἐπιρροθέω

, to come with shouts to the rescue). Cp.

ἐρρόθουν

259 n., Aesch. 290.

mvp-comment-228-1 ἀκηδήσοι ⁹¹ ἀφειδήσοι ⁹²

mvp-comment-229-1 The incident of the storm was a dramatic necessity, to account for Antigone reaching the corpse unobserved. A powerful picture is compressed into seven lines. (Cp. O. C. 1315 ff. for a like instance of self-restraint in description.)

mvp-comment-230-1 κατέστη ⁹³

mvp-comment-230-2 χθονὸς ⁹⁴

mvp-comment-231-1 τυφώς ⁹⁵ σκηπτός ⁹⁶

mvp-comment-231-2 οὐράνιον ἄχος ⁹⁷

mvp-comment-232-1 πίμπλησι ⁹⁸ αἰκίζων ⁹⁹

mvp-comment-232-2 ἐν δ’ ἐμεστ ¹⁰⁰

mvp-comment-233-1 μύσαντες ¹⁰¹

mvp-comment-233-2 νόσον ¹⁰²

mvp-comment-233-3 ἐν χρ. μακρ ¹⁰³

mvp-comment-234-1 πικρᾶς ¹⁰⁴

mvp-comment-235-1 εὐνῆς...λέχος ¹⁰⁵

mvp-comment-236-1 οὕτω δέ ¹⁰⁶

mvp-comment-236-2 ψιλόν ¹⁰⁷

mvp-comment-237-1 γόοισιν ἐξῴμωξεν ¹⁰⁸

mvp-comment-237-2 ἐκ δ’ … ἠρᾶτο ¹⁰⁹

mvp-comment-237-3 διψίαν ¹¹⁰

mvp-comment-238-1 φέρει κόνιν ¹¹¹

mvp-comment-239-1 The πρόχους ¹¹²

mvp-comment-239-2 εὐκρότητος ¹¹³

mvp-comment-239-3 ἄρδην ¹¹⁴

mvp-comment-240-1 χοαῖσι ¹¹⁵

mvp-comment-240-2 τρισπόνδ. ¹¹⁶ στέφει ¹¹⁷

mvp-comment-241-1 ἱέμεσθα ¹¹⁸

mvp-comment-241-2 σὺν δὲ … θηρώμεθ’ ¹¹⁹

mvp-comment-242-1 ἠλέγχομεν ¹²⁰

mvp-comment-242-2 ἄπαρνος … οὐδενός ¹²¹

mvp-comment-242-3 καθίστατο ¹²²

mvp-comment-243-1 ἅμ’ ¹²³

mvp-comment-244-1 φίλους ¹²⁴

mvp-comment-245-1 πάντα ταῦθ’ ¹²⁵ λαβεῖν ¹²⁶

mvp-comment-246-1 σὲ δή, ¹²⁷

mvp-comment-247-1 φὴς δεδρακέναι, ἢ καταρνεῖ μὴ δεδρ ¹²⁸ καταρνεῖ ¹²⁹

mvp-comment-248-1 καὶ......κοὐκ ¹³⁰

mvp-comment-248-2 τὸ μή ¹³¹

mvp-comment-249-1 σὺ μέν ¹³² κομίζοις ἂν ς ¹³³

mvp-comment-249-2 ἔξω ¹³⁴ β. αἰτίας ¹³⁵ ἐλεύθερον ¹³⁶

mvp-comment-250-1 μῆκος ¹³⁷

mvp-comment-251-1 ᾔδησθα ¹³⁸ ᾔδης τὰ ¹³⁹ σθα ¹⁴⁰

mvp-comment-251-2 κηρυχθέντα ¹⁴¹

mvp-comment-252-1 ᾔδη ¹⁴²

mvp-comment-252-2 τί δ’ οὐκ ἔμελλον ¹⁴³

mvp-comment-252-3 ἐμφανῆ ¹⁴⁴ ἐκφανῆ ¹⁴⁵

mvp-comment-253-1 καὶ δῆτ’ ¹⁴⁶

mvp-comment-254-1 Ζεύς ¹⁴⁷

mvp-comment-255-1 τῶν κάτω θεῶν ¹⁴⁸ ξύνοικος ¹⁴⁹ τοιούσδ’ … ὥρισεν ¹⁵⁰ οἳ τούσδ’ … ὥρισαν ¹⁵¹ τάδε ¹⁵²

mvp-comment-256-1 ἄγραπτα … νόμιμα ¹⁵³

mvp-comment-256-2 quotes vv. 456 f.) Cp. O.T. 865 ff.

νόμοι... | ὑψίποδες, οὐρανίαν | δἰ αἰθέρα τεκνωθέντες

, with notes there. Thuc. 2.37 (

νόμοι

)

ὅσοι ἄγραφοι ὄντες αἰσχύνην ὁμολογουμένην φέρουσι

. When ‘the unwritten laws’ are thus called

νόμοι

, the latter word is used figuratively. νόμιμα ¹⁵⁴

mvp-comment-256-3 ἀσφαλῆ ¹⁵⁵

mvp-comment-256-4 θνητὸν ὄντ’ ¹⁵⁶

mvp-comment-256-5 ὑπερδραμεῖν ¹⁵⁷

mvp-comment-257-1 νῦν γε κἀχθές ¹⁵⁸

mvp-comment-257-2 ζῇ ¹⁵⁹

mvp-comment-257-3 ’φάνη ¹⁶⁰

mvp-comment-258-1 τούτων ¹⁶¹ τὴν δίκην ¹⁶² τούτων ¹⁶³

mvp-comment-258-2 shows that, like

ταῦτα

just before, it refers to the

νόμιμα

: we cannot, therefore, render, ‘the penalty of such an act’ ( sc.

τοῦ ὑπερδραμεῖν

mvp-comment-258-3 ἐν θεοῖσι ¹⁶⁴

mvp-comment-259-1 δώσειν ¹⁶⁵

mvp-comment-259-2 θανουμένη γάρ ¹⁶⁶

mvp-comment-259-3 τί δ’ οὔ ¹⁶⁷

mvp-comment-260-1 κεἰ μὴ σὺ προὐκήρυξας ¹⁶⁸

mvp-comment-260-2 τοῦ χρόνου ¹⁶⁹

mvp-comment-260-3 αὔτ’ ¹⁷⁰

mvp-comment-261-1 φέρει ¹⁷¹

mvp-comment-262-1 Kvičala and Wecklein reject these four verses, despairing of the difficulties found in vv. 466, 467, which have been variously amended; see Appendix. The alleged difficulties are, (1)

παρ’ οὐδὲν ἄλγος

: (2) the mention of the mother only: (3) the position of

θανόντ’

, which might suggest the sense, ‘slain by my mother’: (4)

ηἰσχόμην

(as L has it). Before dealing with these points, I would call attention to a trait which the impugners of these verses have overlooked, and which speaks strongly for the genuineness of the passage as a whole, corrupt though it be in certain words. That trait is the clause τοῖσδε δ’ οὐκ ἀλγύνομαι ¹⁷²

mvp-comment-263-1 ἄλγος ¹⁷³ παρ’ οὐδέν ¹⁷⁴

mvp-comment-263-2 adv.: ‘is a pain in no appreciable degree,’ is a pain not worth a thought: as he might have said,

οὐδαμοῦ ἄλγος ἐστί

. The normal use of

παρ’ οὐδέν

, ‘of no account,’ is either ( a) with the verb

εἶναι

, as O. T. 982

ταῦθ’ ὅτῳ | παρ’ οὐδέν ἐστι

, or ( b) with a verb meaning ‘to esteem,’ as above, v. 34,

τὸ πρᾶγμ’ ἄγειν | οὐχ ὡς παρ’ οὐδέν

. The only peculiarity here is that, instead of a word in the general sense, ‘ is esteemed’ (

ἄγεται

), we have a virtual equivalent, tinged with the special thought of the moment, viz., ‘ is a pain.’ Exactly so in El. 1327 we have

πότερα παρ’ οὐδὲν τοῦ βίου κήδεσθ’ ἔτι

, instead of

πότερα παρ’ οὐδὲν τὸν βίον ἄγετε

. Thus the suspicions as to the genuineness of

παρ’ οὐδὲν ἄλγος

are illusory.

mvp-comment-263-3 ἀλλ’ ἄν ¹⁷⁵

mvp-comment-264-1 ἄθαπτον ἠνσχόμην νέκυν ¹⁷⁶ ηἰσχόμην ¹⁷⁷ ἠνσχόμην ¹⁷⁸

mvp-comment-264-2 In my first edition I placed in the text the emendation of Semitelos (1887) ᾔσχυναν κύνες ¹⁷⁹

mvp-comment-264-3 Other emendations will be found in the Appendix. Most of them assume that we must have

ἠνεσχόμην

(or

ἀνεσχόμην

), and therefore alter the words

θανόντ’ ἄθαπτον

and

νέκυν

in various ways, —usu. omitting

νέκυν

. The verses produced by these processes are wretched, while, from a palaeographical point of view, they are pure conjectures, which do not attempt to account for the tradition in L.—Two points remain. (1) τὸν ἐξ ἐμῆς | μητρός ¹⁸⁰

mvp-comment-264-4 or

μιᾶς

(Meineke). (2) τὸν ἐξ ἐμ. | μητρος θανόντ’ ¹⁸¹

mvp-comment-265-1 σχεδόν τι ¹⁸²

mvp-comment-265-2 μώρῳ μωρίαν ¹⁸³

mvp-comment-265-3 ὀφλισκάνω ¹⁸⁴

mvp-comment-266-1 These two verses give a moment of stillness before the storm breaks forth. So at O. T. 404 four verses of the chorus divide the angry speech of Oedipus from the retort of Teiresias.

mvp-comment-266-2 τὸ γέννημα τῆς παιδός ¹⁸⁵ δηλοῖ ¹⁸⁶ ὠμόν ¹⁸⁷ ἐξ ὠμοῦ πατρός ¹⁸⁸ γέννημα ¹⁸⁹

mvp-comment-267-1 εἴκειν … κακοῖς ¹⁹⁰

mvp-comment-268-1 ἀλλ’ ἴσθι τοι ¹⁹¹

mvp-comment-268-2 πίπτειν ¹⁹²

mvp-comment-269-1 ὀπτὸν … περισκελῆ ¹⁹³

mvp-comment-269-2 περισκελής ¹⁹⁴

mvp-comment-269-3 ἐκ πυρός ¹⁹⁵

mvp-comment-270-1 θραυσθέντα καὶ ῥαγέντα ¹⁹⁶

mvp-comment-271-1 χαλινῷ δ’ ¹⁹⁷ σμικρῷ ¹⁹⁸

mvp-comment-271-2 καταρτυθέντας ¹⁹⁹

mvp-comment-272-1 Suspicion has fallen on ἐκπέλει ²⁰⁰

mvp-comment-272-2 ὅστις ²⁰¹

mvp-comment-272-3 τῶν πέλας ²⁰²

mvp-comment-273-1 αὕτη δ’ ²⁰³ ὑβρίζειν μὲν … ὕβρις δ’ ²⁰⁴ ἐξηπίστατο ²⁰⁵ τότ’ ²⁰⁶

mvp-comment-273-2 τούτοις ²⁰⁷

mvp-comment-273-3 δεδρακυῖαν γελᾶν ²⁰⁸

mvp-comment-274-1 νῦν ²⁰⁹

mvp-comment-274-2 εἰ ταῦτα … κράτη ²¹⁰ κράτη ²¹¹ κείσεται ²¹² πείσεται ²¹³ ἀνατί ²¹⁴ ταῦτα ²¹⁵

mvp-comment-275-1 ἀδελφῆς ²¹⁶

mvp-comment-275-2 εἴθ’ ὁμαιμονεστέρα ²¹⁷

mvp-comment-275-3 Hyperbole is congenial to Creon's excitement; cp. 1040 . But the addition,

τοῦ παντὸς Ζ. ἑρκείου

, ill suits this, while, on the other hand, it agrees well with the nom.

ὁμαιμονεστέρα

. On the whole, then, I incline to prefer the nom.; but the point is a nice one, and the gen. is quite tenable.

mvp-comment-275-4 κυρεῖ ²¹⁸

mvp-comment-276-1 τοῦ παντὸς Ζηνὸς ἑρκείου ²¹⁹

mvp-comment-277-1 ἀλύξετον ²²⁰ μόρου ²²¹

mvp-comment-278-1 καὶ γὰρ οὖν ²²²

mvp-comment-278-2 ἐπαιτιῶμαι κείνην ²²³ βουλεῦσαι ἴσον τοῦδε τάφου ²²⁴ ἴσον ²²⁵

mvp-comment-278-3 βουλεῦσαι ²²⁶

mvp-comment-279-1 καί νιν καλεῖτ’ ²²⁷

mvp-comment-280-1 λυσσῶσαν … οὐδ’ ἐπ ²²⁸

mvp-comment-280-2 ἐπήβολον ²²⁹

mvp-comment-281-1 ὁ θυμὸς τῶν … τεχνωμένων ²³⁰ φιλεῖ κλοπεὺς ᾑρῆσθαι ²³¹ πρόσθεν ²³² κλοπεύς ²³³ ᾑρῆσθαι κλοπεύς ²³⁴

mvp-comment-281-2 τεχνωμένων ²³⁵

mvp-comment-282-1 γε μέντοι ²³⁶

mvp-comment-282-2 Ismene's guilty terror is contrasted with Antigone's impudent hardihood,—as Creon deems it. μισῶ … ὅταν ²³⁷

mvp-comment-282-3 ἔπειτα ²³⁸

mvp-comment-282-4 καλλύνειν ²³⁹

mvp-comment-283-1 θέλεις τι μεῖζον ²⁴⁰

mvp-comment-283-2 ἑλών ²⁴¹

mvp-comment-283-3 ἐγὼ μὲν οὐδέν ²⁴²

mvp-comment-283-4 ἅπαντ’ ἔχω ²⁴³

mvp-comment-284-1 ἀρεστὸν οὐδέν ²⁴⁴

mvp-comment-284-2 μηδ’ ἀρεσθείη ²⁴⁵ ἀρεσθείην ²⁴⁶ ἀρέστ’ εἴη ²⁴⁷

mvp-comment-285-1 τἀμά ²⁴⁸

mvp-comment-285-2 ἔφυ ²⁴⁹

mvp-comment-286-1 καίτοι ²⁵⁰ κλέος … εὐκλεέστερον ²⁵¹

mvp-comment-287-1 ἐν τάφῳ τιθεῖσα ²⁵² τούτοις πᾶσι λέγοιτο ἄν ²⁵³ τοῦτο ἁνδάνειν ²⁵⁴ ἐγκλῄοι ²⁵⁵

mvp-comment-288-1 ἀλλ’ ἡ τυραννίς ²⁵⁶

mvp-comment-289-1 μούνη ²⁵⁷

mvp-comment-289-2 τοῦτο … ὁρᾷς ²⁵⁸

mvp-comment-289-3 ὑπίλλουσιν ²⁵⁹

mvp-comment-290-1 σὺ δ’ οὐκ ἐπαιδεῖ ²⁶¹

mvp-comment-291-1 ὅμαιμος ²⁶²

mvp-comment-291-2 ἐκ μιᾶς τε ²⁶³ τε ²⁶⁴

mvp-comment-292-1 πῶς δῆτ’ ²⁶⁵

mvp-comment-292-2 ἐκείνῳ ²⁶⁶

mvp-comment-292-3 χάριν ²⁶⁷ τιμᾷς ²⁶⁸ ὁ κατθανὼν νέκυς ²⁶⁹

mvp-comment-293-1 εἴ τοι ²⁷⁰ σφε ²⁷¹

mvp-comment-293-2 ἐξ ἴσου ²⁷²

mvp-comment-294-1 οὐ γάρ τι δοῦλος ²⁷³

mvp-comment-294-2 cannot complain, for Polyneices was not his slave—his natural inferior—but his brother, and had the same claim on me that he had. Creon insists on the difference between the loyal man and the disloyal. Antigone dwells on the fact that both men had the same claim on her natural piety, and (519) on her sense of religious duty.

mvp-comment-295-1 πορθῶν δέ ²⁷⁴

mvp-comment-295-2 ὁ δ’ ²⁷⁵ ὕπερ ²⁷⁶

mvp-comment-296-1 τούτους ²⁷⁷ ἴσους ²⁷⁸ ἴσους ²⁷⁹ ὅμως ²⁸⁰ ἴσους ²⁸¹ τούτους ²⁸² ἴσους ²⁸³

mvp-comment-297-1 The MS. λαχεῖν ἴσος ²⁸⁴ ἴσους ²⁸⁵

mvp-comment-298-1 κάτωθεν ²⁸⁶ κάτω ’στὶν ²⁸⁷

mvp-comment-298-2 εὐαγῆ ²⁸⁸

mvp-comment-299-1 οὔτοι συνέχθειν ²⁸⁹

mvp-comment-300-1 νυ^ν ²⁹⁰

mvp-comment-301-1 καὶ μὴν ²⁹¹

mvp-comment-301-2 εἰβομένη ²⁹² κάτω ²⁹³

mvp-comment-301-3 with

εἴβειν

, for Homer never says

κατὰ δάκρυα λείβειν

. Nothing is more natural than that

εἰβομένη

should have become

λειβομένη

in the MSS., the latter word being much the commoner.

mvp-comment-301-4 κάτω ²⁹⁴

mvp-comment-302-1 νεφέλη δ’ ὀφρύων ὕπερ ²⁹⁵

mvp-comment-302-2 αἱματόεν ²⁹⁶

mvp-comment-302-3 ῥέθος ²⁹⁷

mvp-comment-302-4 αἰσχύνει ²⁹⁸

mvp-comment-303-1 σὺ δ’ ²⁹⁹ ὑφειμένη ³⁰⁰

mvp-comment-303-2 ἔχιδνα ³⁰¹

mvp-comment-303-3

ἡ ἔχιδνα ἐν τῇ συνουσίᾳ τὴν κεφαλὴν ἀποκόπτει. διὰ τοῦτο καὶ τὰ τέκνα, ὥσπερ τὸν θάνατον τοῦ πατρὸς μετερχόμενα, τὴν γαστέρα τῆς μητρὸς διαρρήγνυσιν

. (Cp. Shaksp. Per. 1. 1. 64

I am no viper, yet I feed On mother's flesh.

)

mvp-comment-304-1 λήθουσά μ’ ἐξέπινες ³⁰²

mvp-comment-305-1 ἄτα κἀπαναστάσεις ³⁰³

mvp-comment-305-2 ἐπαναστάσεις ³⁰⁴ θρόνων ³⁰⁵

mvp-comment-306-1 τὸ μὴ ³⁰⁶

mvp-comment-307-1 ὁμορροθεῖ ³⁰⁷

mvp-comment-308-1 τῆς αἰτίας ³⁰⁸ ξυμμετίσχω ³⁰⁹ φέρω ³¹⁰

mvp-comment-309-1 ἀλλ’ οὐκ ἐάσει σ’ ³¹¹

mvp-comment-309-2 ’κοινωσάμην ³¹²

mvp-comment-310-1 ξύμπλουν ³¹³

mvp-comment-311-1 Cp. Ph. 1293

ὡς θεοὶ ξυνίστορες.

mvp-comment-311-2 λόγοις ³¹⁴

mvp-comment-312-1 μή μ’ ἀτιμάσῃς ³¹⁵ τὸ μὴ οὐ ³¹⁶ ἁγνίσαι τὸν θ ³¹⁷

mvp-comment-313-1 μή μοι ³¹⁸ κοινά ³¹⁹

mvp-comment-313-2 μηδ’ ἃ μὴ ’θιγες ³²⁰ ἅ ³²¹ ἅ ³²²

mvp-comment-314-1 ποιοῦ σεαυτῆς ³²³

mvp-comment-314-2 ἀρκέσω ³²⁵

mvp-comment-315-1 σοῦ λελειμμένῃ ³²⁶

mvp-comment-315-2 φίλος ³²⁷

mvp-comment-316-1 κηδεμών ³²⁸

mvp-comment-317-1 ἀλγοῦσα μὲν δῆτ’ ³²⁹ δῆτα ³³⁰

mvp-comment-317-2 ἐν σοί ³³¹

mvp-comment-317-3 Heath's εἰ γελῶ γ’ ³³²

mvp-comment-318-1 ἀλλὰ νῦν ³³³

mvp-comment-319-1 κἀμπλάκω ³³⁴

mvp-comment-319-2 fate? i.e. to be dissociated from it: delib. aor. subj., which can be used, not only in asking what one is to do, but also in expressions of despair as to what one must suffer ( Tr. 973

τί πάθω

;). For

ἀμπλακεῖν

cp. 910 , 1234.

mvp-comment-320-1 εἵλου ³³⁵

mvp-comment-320-2 ζῆν ³³⁶

mvp-comment-321-1 ἐπ’ ἀρρήτοις … τοῖς ἐμ. λ. ³³⁷

mvp-comment-322-1 σὺ μὲν τοῖς ³³⁸

mvp-comment-323-1 καὶ μήν ³³⁹

mvp-comment-324-1 θάρσει ³⁴⁰

mvp-comment-324-2 ἡ ἐμὴ ψυχή ³⁴¹

mvp-comment-324-3 πάλαι ³⁴²

mvp-comment-324-4 ὥστε τοῖς θ. ὠφελεῖν ³⁴³

mvp-comment-325-1 L gives τὼ παῖδε φημὶ ³⁴⁴

mvp-comment-325-2 τὼ παῖδε … τὴν μὲν … τὴν δέ ³⁴⁵

mvp-comment-325-3 ἀρτίως ³⁴⁶

mvp-comment-326-1 The apology is for her sister as well as for herself: even such prudence ( cp. 68

νοῦν

) as may have been inborn forsakes the unfortunate under the stress of their misfortunes.

mvp-comment-326-2 βλάστῃ ³⁴⁷

mvp-comment-326-3 τοῖς κ. πράσσουσιν ³⁴⁸

mvp-comment-326-4 ἐξίσταται ³⁴⁹

mvp-comment-327-1 σοὶ γοῦν ³⁵⁰

mvp-comment-327-2 κακοῖς ³⁵¹

mvp-comment-328-1 τῆσδ’ ἄτερ ³⁵² μόνῃ ³⁵³

mvp-comment-328-2 βιώσιμον ³⁵⁴ τί ³⁵⁵

mvp-comment-329-1 ἀλλὰ … μέντοι ³⁵⁶

mvp-comment-329-2 ἥδε μὴ λέγε ³⁵⁷

mvp-comment-330-1 νυμφεῖα ³⁵⁸

mvp-comment-331-1 ἀρώσιμοι ³⁵⁹

mvp-comment-332-1 οὐχ ὥς γ’ ³⁶⁰ ἡρμοσμένα ἦν ³⁶¹

mvp-comment-333-1 υἱέσι ³⁶² υἱάσιν ³⁶³

mvp-comment-333-2

υἷα, υἷε, υἷες, υἷας

: cp. Monro Hom. Gr. § 107.—The dat. of interest goes with κακὰς γυναῖκας ³⁶⁴ στυγῶ ³⁶⁵

mvp-comment-334-1 It is not of much moment that L, like the later MSS., gives this verse to Ismene. Errors as to the persons occur not seldom in L (see, e.g., cr. n. to O. C. 837 , and cp. ib. 1737 ); and here a mistake would have been peculiarly easy, as the dialogue from v. 561 onwards has been between Creon and Ismene. To me it seems certain that the verse is Antigone's, and that one of the finest touches in the play is effaced by giving it to Ismene. The taunt,

κακὰς γυναῖκας υἱέσι

, moves Antigone to break the silence which she has kept since v. 560: in all this scene she has not spoken to Creon, nor does she now address him: she is thinking of Haemon,—of the dishonour to him implied in the charge of having made such a choice, —

ὡς αἰεὶ τὸν ὁμοῖον ἄγει θεὸς ὡς τὸν ὁμοῖον

. How little does his father know the heart which was in sympathy with her own. This solitary reference to her love heightens in a wonderful degree our sense of her unselfish devotion to a sacred duty. If Ismene speaks this verse, then

τὸ σὸν λέχος

in 573 must be, ‘the marriage of which you talk’ (like El. 1110

οὐκ οἶδα τὴν σὴν κλῄδον

'), which certainly is not its natural sense.

mvp-comment-334-2 Αἷμον ³⁶⁶

mvp-comment-335-1 ἄγαν γε λυπεῖς ³⁶⁷

mvp-comment-336-1 The MSS. give this verse to Ismene; but Boeckh is clearly right in giving it to the Chorus. Ismene asked this question in 568, and Creon answered: she rejoined to this answer (570), and Creon replied still more bitterly. She could not now ask her former question over again. But there is no unfitness in the question being repeated by a new intercessor, since to ask it thus is a form of mild remonstrance.

mvp-comment-337-1 ἐμοί ³⁶⁸ ἔφυ ³⁶⁹

mvp-comment-338-1 This verse clearly belongs to the Chorus, to whom L assigns it. The first words of the next verse show this. Hermann objected that in similar situations the Chorus usually has two verses. It is true that this is usually the case. But O. T. 1312 is enough to show that there was no rigid rule; why, indeed, should there be? And, here, surely,

πλέον ἥμισυ παντός.

mvp-comment-338-2 δεδογμένα ³⁷⁰

mvp-comment-339-1 καὶ σοί γε κἀμοί ³⁷¹

mvp-comment-339-2 μὴ τριβάς ³⁷²

mvp-comment-339-3 νιν ³⁷³

mvp-comment-340-1 ἐκ δὲ τοῦδε ³⁷⁴ γυναικας ³⁷⁵ ἀνειμένας ³⁷⁶

mvp-comment-341-1 χοἱ θρασεῖς ³⁷⁷ πέλας ³⁷⁸ εἰσορῶσι ³⁷⁹

mvp-comment-343-1 κακῶν ἄγευστος ³⁸⁰

mvp-comment-344-1 σεισθῇ θεόθεν ³⁸¹

mvp-comment-344-2 ἄτας οὐδὲν ἐλλείπει ³⁸² ἐλλείπει ³⁸³

mvp-comment-344-3 γενεᾶς ἐπὶ πλῆθος ³⁸⁴ γενεᾶς ³⁸⁵

mvp-comment-345-1 ὅμοιον ³⁸⁶

mvp-comment-345-2 ποντίαις ³⁸⁷ πνοαῖς ³⁸⁸ ὅταν οἶδμα ³⁸⁹ ποντίαις δυσπν. Θρ. πνοαῖς ³⁹⁰ ἐπιδράμῃ ἔρεβος ὕφαλον ³⁹¹ Θρῄσσαισιν ³⁹²

mvp-comment-346-1 κελαινὰν θῖνα ³⁹³

mvp-comment-346-2 δυσάνεμοι ³⁹⁴ δυσάνεμον ³⁹⁵

mvp-comment-346-3 στόνῳ βρ.· ³⁹⁶

mvp-comment-346-4 ἀντιπλῆγες ³⁹⁷ ἀκταί ³⁹⁸

mvp-comment-347-1 ἀρχαῖα ³⁹⁹

mvp-comment-347-2 ὁρῶμαι ⁴⁰⁰ οἴκων ⁴⁰¹ φθι^τῶν ⁴⁰²

mvp-comment-348-1 ἀπαλλάσσει ⁴⁰³

mvp-comment-348-2 γενεὰν γένος ⁴⁰⁴ ἔχει ⁴⁰⁵

mvp-comment-348-3 λύσιν ⁴⁰⁶

mvp-comment-349-1 νῦν γὰρ ἐσχάτας ⁴⁰⁷ ὃ τέτατο ⁴⁰⁸ ἐτέτατο ⁴⁰⁹ κατ’ αὖ ⁴¹⁰ ὑπέρ ⁴¹¹ ὅπερ ⁴¹² ὃ τέτατο ⁴¹³ νιν ⁴¹⁴ φάος ⁴¹⁵ ἐσχάτη ῥίζα ⁴¹⁶ φάος ⁴¹⁷ νιν ⁴¹⁸ φάος ⁴¹⁹ θάλος ⁴²⁰ τέτατο ⁴²¹ ῥίζας ⁴²²

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

332-383. mvp-comment-190-1 Most wonderful of wondrous things is man, Who traverses the surging brine, And wearies mighty earth with yearly furrow. His craft ensnares the finny produce of the seas And taketh captive beast and bird. He compasseth a way to master the monster of the wilds, And brings under his yoke the horse with flowing mane And the never-wearied mountain bull. Selftaught in speech and thought and civil ways, And in providing shelter from the cold and rain, There is no end to his devices. Nothing but death ever finds him unprepared. Even diseases, not to be avoided, are escaped by him. Inventive beyond hope, he moveth now to evil, and again to good. When weaving with his wit the law of justice and piety He is exalted in the city, but outcast when he harbours wickedness for deeds of crime. May I never live with such an one, and may he never share my counsels. 332. Aesch. Cho. 585, πολλὰ μὲν γὰ τρέφει δεινὰ δειμάτων ἄχη,.. ἀλλ᾽ ὑπέρτολμον ἀνδρὸς φρόνημα τίς λέγοι; Troch. Iamb. Troch.

332-383. mvp-comment-190-2 δεινά = ' wonderful,' or mighty, is in transition from the earlier sense of fearful to the later sense of clever. Cp.

332-383. mvp-comment-190-3 ὀλοόφρων.

352. mvp-comment-201-1 ἀκμῆτα is preferable to ἀδμῆτα, as the rarer word and as introducing a new and apposite idea. 353 ff. There is a natural progress in the thought. First, navigation and agriculture were mentioned as the arts of subduing the crude forces of nature; then the capture and domestication of animals. Now we come to the humanities and arts of life (the domestication of man himself), and lastly, in ἀντ. β', to moral or political good and evil.

354. mvp-comment-202-1 ἀνεμόεν φρόνημα Windswift thought; i. e. Thought which is viewless, free and nimble as the wind. Sophocles knew that the soul had been identified with the air. Cp. Plat. Phaedo, 96 Β, πότερον τὸ αἷμά ἐστιν ᾧ φρονοῦμεν, ἢ ὁ ἀήρ. ἢ τὸ πῦρ, κ.τ.λ. Schneidewin well compares Hom. Il. 15. 80, foll., ὡς δ᾽ ὅτ᾽ ἂν ἀΐξῃ νόος ἀνέρος, ὅς τ᾽ ἐπὶ πολλὴν | γαῖαν ἐληλουθὼς φρεσὶ πευκαλίμῃσι νοήσῃ | · ἔνθ εἴην ἢ ἔνθα, μενοινήπολλὰ | ὡς κραιπνῶς μεμανία διέπτατο πότνια Ἥρη. Wieseler's conj.

354. mvp-comment-202-2 κατ᾿ ἀν. φρ., adopted by Wolff, is surely unnecessary. Why should not man teach himself to think as well as to count? (See Plat. Rep. 7, p. 522.)

355-356. mvp-comment-203-1 ἀστυνόμους | ὀργάς is well explained by Seyffert, Urbium incolendarum studia. The disposition to inhabit cities. This seems more probable than The tempers of civic life. ἀστυνόμος ὀργή is the social impulse which draws men together to become inhabitants of the same town. comparison of Ar. Pol. 6. 8. 4, (ἑτέρα δ᾽ ἐπιμέλεια ταύτης ἐχομένη καὶ σύνεγγυς ἡ τῶν περὶ τὸ ἄστυ δημοσίων καὶ ἰδίων, ὅπως εὐκοσμία ῃ, καὶ τῶν πιπτόντων οἰκοδομημάτων καὶ ὁδῶν σωτηρία καὶ διόρθωσις, καὶ τῶν ὁρίων τῶν πρὸς ἀλλήλους, ὅπως ἀνεγκλήτως ἔχωσι, καὶ ὅσα τούτοις ἄλλα τῆς ἐπιμελείας ὁμοιότροπα, καλοῦσι δ' ἀστυνομίαν οἱ πλεῖστοι τὴν τοιαύτην ἀρχήν), suggests the conjecture ἀστυνόμους ἀρχάς (already made by Valckenaer), Administrative rule. V reads ὁρμάς, ср. О. Т. 337. Qy. ἀρετάς? Ср. 366. 355, foll. And to avoid the cleareyed influence of comfortless frosts, and the pelting of the pitiless rain.' διαίθρεια, sc. βέλη.

356. mvp-comment-204-1 ἐδιδάξατο He taught himself. For the directly reflexive middle, see Essay on Language § 31. p. 52. The origin of the arts was a favourite problem of the Sophists. Cp. Plato, Prot. 320 D, foll. It is here assumed that they were selftaught without Prometheus or other superhuman aid.

357. mvp-comment-205-1 Musgr. would read either διαίθρεια, or αἴθρεια with φρουρῶν for παρειρῶν in l. 367. G. Wolff reads αἴθρεια and πληρῶν. But the repetition of in ll. 3, 4, and 6 suits the composition of the strophe better than the introduction of the bacchius and cretic in l. 3. διαίθρεια, serene, while keeping up the alliteration, suits the context better than ὑπαίθρεια or ἐναίθρεια, in the open air. Join *διαίθρεια βέλη as well as δύσομβρα βέλη.

360. mvp-comment-206-1 παντοπόρος· ἄπορος This punctuation is justified by the corresponding line of the antistrophe, which cannot be pointed otherwise. παντοπόρος, sc. ὤν, is added, like περιφραδής ἀνήρ, supr. 347, to express the admiration excited by the preceding statements.

360-361. mvp-comment-207-1 οὐδὲν . . τὸ μέλλον] Cp. l. 728, μηδὲν τὸ μὴ δίκαιον. Essay on Language § 22. p. 36.

362. mvp-comment-208-1 οὐκ ἐπάξεται He shall not win. For a similar metaphorical use of ἐπάγεσθαι, where, however, the reading has also been questioned, cp. Thuc. 3.10, τὴν τῶν ξυμμάχων δούλωσιν ἐπαγομένους.

364. mvp-comment-209-1 νόσων δ᾽ ἀμηχάνων φυγὰς | ξυμπέφρασται He hath gathered to him by his thought a remedy for many an unavoidable disease. ξυμ- marks that the healing art is a collective monument of human skill. πέφρασται recalls the notion of περιφραδής, supr. 347. For the oxymoron, cp. supr. 340, ἀκαμάταν ἀποτρύεται.

365-366. mvp-comment-210-1 His power of artful contrivance is a miracle of unimaginable skill, wherewith he followeth one while an evil purpose, at other times a good one.' τέχνας is added as genitive of respect to complete the notion of τὸ μηχανόεν. ὑπὲρ ἐλπίδα, beyond what could have been hoped for, or expected before the event. τι marks the indefiniteness of σοφόν as the predicate. It is in agreement with σοφόν, but has the effect of a particle or adverb (πως).

366. mvp-comment-211-1 κακόν, . . ἐπ᾿ ἐσθλόν Cp. О. Т. 761, ἀγρούς σφε πέμψαι κἀπὶ ποιμνίων νομάς.

367. mvp-comment-212-1 νόμους παρείρων χθονός When he knits therewith, sc. τῷ μηχανόεντι τῆς τέχνης καὶ σοφῷ, the laws of his land and the oath-observing righteousness of heaven. It is objected to παρείρων that it elsewhere means Inserting incidentally, or by the way, and that such a meaning is unsuitable here. But, as Seyffert has already shown, the word (which is a rare one) may quite well mean Weaving in,' like gold-leaf, for instance, into a chaplet of flowers. Cp. Plat. Legg. 605 D, καὶ τὸν τοῦ Κύρου δασμὸν ὃν ὑπέσχετο Πέρσαις εἰς τὸν νόμον ἐνέδει. Conjectural emendations are γεραίρων, περαίνων, γὰρ αἴρων, τ᾿ ἀείρων, πληρῶν (see v. rr., and note on 357).

370. mvp-comment-213-1 ὑψίπολις For this compound, cp. ἡδύπολις, ὀρθόπολις, μεγιστόπολις, δικαιόπολις. The construction is elliptical, sc. ὑψίπολις ὧν or ἐστί.

370. mvp-comment-213-2 ἄπολις . . χάριν] He is outcast from the state, who harbours evil for the indulgence of crime. Cp. supr. l. 30, πρὸς χάριν βορâs: Plat. Phaedr. 241, χάριν πλησμονῆς. This is better than joining τόλμας χάριν with ἄπολις = He is an outcast for his boldness.

375. mvp-comment-214-1 ἴσον φρονῶν i. e. Of the same party in the state. For the expression, cp. Il. 15.50, ἶσον ἐμοὶ φρονέουσα.

376-378. mvp-comment-215-1 ἐς δαιμόνιον τέρας .. Ἀντιγόνην] I stand in doubt at this strange marvel, how to gainsay what I know, and say that this is not the maid Antigone. The resumption is suitable to the chorus' perturbed state of feeling. Seyffert's ἐς δαιμόνιον τέρας ἀμφινοῶν τότε, referring to the previous scene (1. 278), is without the directness and simplicity of these short anapaestic passages, in which the chorus announce the entrance of a new person on the stage. Cp. 526 ff., 626 ff.

378. mvp-comment-216-1 οὐκ εἶναι, not μὴ εἶναι, because the entrance of Antigone is a patent fact.

382. mvp-comment-217-1 *ἀπάγουσι Sc. εἰς κρίσιν.

385. mvp-comment-218-1 εἵλομεν The v. r. εἴδομεν is supported by infr. 404, 406, 423, and εἴλομεν, the reading of L, etc., may have been occasioned by καθελόντες in the nearer context. But see v. rr. on 655.

386. mvp-comment-219-1 ἐς δέον Cp. Ο. Τ. 1416, εἰς δέον πάρεστι. εἰς μέσον, which Seyffert has restored from L, although having the authority of the chief MS, is more like a MS. conjecture than eἰς δέον. The same may be said of ἐξέβην, as compared with προὔβην. Seyffert reads ξύμμετρ᾽ ἐξέβην τύχῃ.

388. mvp-comment-220-1 οὐδέν ἐστ᾿ ἀπώμοτον This γνώμη first occurs in the fragment of Archilochus about the eclipse (76 Bergk), χρημάτων ἄελπτον οὐδέν ἐστιν οὐδ᾽ ἀπώμοτον. Cp. Pind. Ol. 13. 83, παρ' ὅρκον καὶ παρ' ἐλπίδα κούφαν.

389. mvp-comment-221-1 ψεύδει .. γνώμην 'For second thoughts bely one's resolutions.' ου 390. ἄv belongs grammatically to the verb ἐξηύχουν, but in meaning rather modifies the infinitive.

391. mvp-comment-222-1 ταῖς .. τότε When my soul was shaken with the tempest of your former threatenings.᾿ ἀπειλαῖς is dative of the occasion or accompaniment, assisted by attraction. Essay on Language § 11. p. 18, с. Ср. 1. 691.

392. mvp-comment-223-1 ἐκτὸς καὶ παρ᾿ ἐλπίδας i. e.

392. mvp-comment-223-2 ἐκτὸς ἐλπίδος (supr. 1. 330) καὶ παρ᾿ ἐλπίδας.

393. mvp-comment-224-1 ἔοικεν.. μήκος οὐδέν Sc. οὐδὲν ἔοικε μήκος, i. e. εἰς τὸ μέγεθος, as the Scholiast says.

395. mvp-comment-225-1 καθευρέθη is not to be rejected because of the rarity of the compound. See Essay on Language p. 90. But the conjecture of Nauck, καθῃρέθη, is favoured by καθελόντες in l. 383.

398. mvp-comment-226-1 ὡς θέλεις In arresting Antigone the watchman has done not his own will but Creon's. Infr. 438. 399,

400. mvp-comment-227-1 ἐγὼ δ'. κακῶν But I have a full right to be "away and clear" from this bad business.

401. mvp-comment-228-1 This maiden! where, and how, did you arrest her?' The emphatic order of words expresses the profound astonishment of Creon. Essay on Language § 41. p. 77.

403. mvp-comment-229-1 λέγεις ὀρθῶς Do you say it with a clear mind? i. e. Have you your wits when you say this? CСр. О. Т. 528, ἐξ ὀμμάτων δ᾽ ὀρθῶν τε καὶ ὀρθῆς φρενός | κατηγορεῖτο τοὐπίκλημα τοῦτό μου;

404. mvp-comment-230-1 ὃν σὺ τόν The collocation of antecedent and relative is peculiar, and perhaps characteristic of the rustic emphasis of the Φύλαξ. See notes on supr. 238, 269, and cp. infr. 409.

406. mvp-comment-231-1 And how was she discovered, caught, and taken ?"

407. mvp-comment-232-1 τοιοῦτον (1) As you say: she was seen (1. 423), surprised (1.432), and caught (1.433). Or (2) As follows,' = τοιόνδε.

409-410. mvp-comment-233-1 τὸν | νέκυν Α remarkable instance of synapheia. Cp. 1. 238. Essay on Language § 21. p. 33. Supr. 238.

410. mvp-comment-234-1 μυδῶν Dank: referring rather to the state of the corpse (cp. 412) than to the remains of the libation, which would be soon dried by the sun.

410. mvp-comment-234-2 εὐ Carefully. For the order, see Essay on Language p. 78, and cp. О. Т. 308, μαθόντες εὖ.

411. mvp-comment-235-1 We sat just below the top of the rising ground, in the lee of the wind, so escaping the incidence of the odour from the dead. Supposing the corpse to be exposed on a slope of the high ground, surrounded by hillocks, they would select a point of observation on the lee-side of one of these hillocks, and to the windward of the corpse, which they would have full in view.

411. mvp-comment-235-2 ἐκ = On this side of and looking from. Essay on Language § 19. p. 27. Infr. 1110, εἰς ἐπόψιον τόπον : 1197, πεδίον ἐπ᾿ ἄκρον. πικρᾶς] ι in erasure of v? by recent hand Vat.

412. mvp-comment-236-1 This line is not necessarily connected with the preceding: i.e. They may be supposed to select a spot, (1) out of the wind, (2) out of the way of the smell. But the explanation above given (411 note) is more probable. In either case the point is that in attending to their watch they were mightily careful of their own comfort.

412. mvp-comment-236-2 βάλῃ Changed by Stephanusto βάλοι, because of the past time and the optative following. But the subj. is more vivid.

413-414. mvp-comment-237-1 Rousing each his fellow with noisy altercation, reviling him who should take this labour easily. εἴ τις, κ.τ.λ. depends on the verbal notion implied in κακοῖσιν = κακῶς λέγοντες.

413-414. mvp-comment-237-2 ἀφειδεῖν, ‘Το be unsparing, and so To be negligent, To treat lightly, To act without circumspection. For an approach to this meaning, cp. Thuc. 4.26 § 7. Bonitz conj. ἀκηδήσοι.

415-417. mvp-comment-238-1 This lasted till the sun had reached his station in mid-sky with unclouded splendour, and the heat was glowing.' Cp. the Homeric ὄφρα μὲν ἠέλιος μέσον οὐρανὸν ἀμφιβεβήκει.

417. mvp-comment-239-1 When suddenly from the earth the Storm-god raised a squall, that saddened all the sky, and filled the plain, tearing the tresses of the orchard groves, and the wide heaven was choked withal.' The chief discomfort of such a visitation would be the cloud of dust, forcing men to close their eyes, and wrapping even near objects from sight. The watchman is explaining why they lost sight of the corpse. The poet also provides a motive for the act by which Antigone is betrayed. She fears that the corpse, lying in an exposed situation, may have been disturbed by the violence of the wind.

418. mvp-comment-240-1 οὐράνιον ἄχος may mean either (1) A trouble from the sky, or (2) A trouble reaching to the sky. The latter is best, as the word χθονός indicates that the whirlwind seemed to rise out of the ground.

420. mvp-comment-241-1 ἐν δ' See Essay on Language p. 26. § 18, a.

421. mvp-comment-242-1 μύσαντες .. νόσον Closing lips and eyes, we endured the Divine visitation.

422. mvp-comment-243-1 ἐν χρόνῳ μακρῷ After lasting a long while: giving time for Antigone to come out of her concealment, with the libation ready. 423, foll. κἀνακωκύει] ‘And raises a shrill wailing cry, like the voice of the despairing bird. For the descriptive genitive, see Essay on Language § 9. p. 12.

422. mvp-comment-243-2 πικρᾶς Embittered, 'Full of bitterness: the quality of the object is transferred to the subject: i.e. πικρᾶς, ἅτε πασχούσης πικρά. Also the bitterness of anger is joined to that of grief. Cp. the Latin dolor. For the genitive, cp. Trach. 768, ὥστε τέκτονοs. And for the omission of ὡs, which is supplied in the following clause, cp. supr. 114, λευκῆς χιόνος πτέρυγι στεγανός. G. Wolff reads ὅ. δ. φθόγγον ὥς, ὅταν κ. But this yields a less probable rhythm.

424-425. mvp-comment-244-1 As when it sees robbed of its young ones the desolated couch of its nest. For the pleonasm, see Essay on Language § 40. p. 75.

426. mvp-comment-245-1 οὕτω δέ The apodosis is resumed, as so often happens after a comparison. Essay on Language p. 75. Cp. Aesch. Cho. 252.

427. mvp-comment-246-1 γόοισιν Essay on Language p. 75.

427. mvp-comment-246-2 ἐκ δ᾽.. ἠρᾶτο Essay on Language § 18. p. 27.

430. mvp-comment-247-1 ἄρδην.. στέφει Slightly condensed from ἄρδην ἔχουσα στέφει. στέφει, She decorates, Honours. Metaphorical, as in Od. 8. 170, ἀλλὰ θεὸς μορφὴν ἔπεσι στέφει. Cp. καταστέφειν in Eur. Phoen. 1632, and Sophron ap. Athen. 479 B. She leaves out no jot of the ceremony: ὡς οὐδὲν ὑφιεμένη τῷ κρηύγματι.

431. mvp-comment-248-1 Od. 11. 26, ἀμφ᾿ αὐτῷ δὲ χοὰς χέομεν πᾶσιν νεκύεσσι, | πρῶτα μελικρήτῳ, μετέπειτα δὲ ἡδέϊ οἴνῳ, | τὸ τρίτον αὐθ᾽ ὕδατι.

432. mvp-comment-249-1 σὺν δέ νιν | θηρώμεθ' For this tmesis, see Essay on Language § 18. p. 26. συν as in συλλαμβάνω.

435. mvp-comment-250-1 Cp. Hdt. 3. 66, ἔξαρνος ἦν μὴ μὲν ἀποκτεῖναι Σμέρδιν: 3. 99, ἄπαρνός ἐστι μὴ μὲν νοσέειν.

436. mvp-comment-251-1 ἀλλ᾽.. ἅμα ἀλλά is to be explained as pointing the antithesis after the negative. Her attitude was not that of denial, but one to me at least pleasant and painful as well. The adverb modifies a word which is to be supplied from καθίστατο. ἡδέως ἐμοί, i. e. ὥστε ἐμὲ ἥδεσθαι, Essay on Language § 24. p. 40. There is a certain point in this which is lost in the emendation of Dindorf, ἅμ᾽ ἡδέως, in which, however, the repetition of ἅμα may be defended from Plat. Gorg. 497 Α, ἅμα διψῶν τε ἕκαστος ἡμῶν πέπαυται καὶ ἅμα ἡδόμενος διὰ τοῦ πίνειν. Schneidewin quotes also Gorg. 496 C, ὧν ἅμα τε ἀπαλλάττεται ἄνθρωπος καὶ ἅμα ἔχει, which is not really parallel.

439-440. mvp-comment-252-1 ἀλλὰ .. σωτηρίας (1) But all these things are to me by nature less important to obtain than my own safety. λαβεῖν epexegetic, like ἔχειν in Ο. Τ. 592, τυραννὶς ἡδίων ἔχειν. Cp. inf. 638, μείζων φέρεσθαι: Εl. 1015-1016, προνοίας οὐδὲν ἀνθρώποις ἔφυ | κέρδος λαβεῖν ἄμειvov. Or, possibly, (2) It is in my nature to take less account of all this than of my own safety. For the meaning thus given to ἐμοὶ πέφυκ cp. Εl. 860, πᾶσι θνατοῖς ἔφυ μύρος. And for λαβεῖν = To weigh or estimate, cp. Thuc. 2. 42, § 5, τὴν δὲ τῶν ἐναντίων τιμωρίαν ποθεινοτέραν αὐτῶν λαβόντες.

441. mvp-comment-253-1 For σὲ δή, sc. λέγω, cp. Aesch. Prom. 944, σὲ τὸν σοφιστήν, κ.τ.λ.: Soph. El. 1445, σε τοι, σὲ κρίνω, κ.τ.λ.: Eur. Hel. 546. And for ἐς πέδον κάρα νεύειν, cp. supr. 269.

441. mvp-comment-253-2 Creon misinterprets the action of Antigone. She fixes her eyes upon the ground, not from fear or shame, but because she is out of sympathy with all present, and her thoughts are in the other world. The hidden fire flashes out in ll. 450, foll., which are certainly not spoken with averted eyes. Cp. Ο. Τ. 1121.

442. mvp-comment-254-1 καταρνεῖ The unusual compound, introduced, perhaps, partly for the sake of metre, has also a special sense of blame. Cp. καταμελέω, καταξιόω, καταπειλέω, καταπροδίδωμι, καταργυρόω, κατασπείρω, κατασχολάζω.

445. mvp-comment-255-1 Free and exempt from grievous imputation.

446. mvp-comment-256-1 μήκος Adverbial, cp. O. С. 92, κέρδη μὲν οἰκήσαντα τοῖς δεδεγμένοις.

446. mvp-comment-256-2 'Tell us, no long tale, but briefly, knew you of the edict that forbade this deed? I knew; 'twas plain enough. How could I fail to know? And were you, then, so hardy as to transgress our law? That edict came not to me from the mouth of Zeus, nor from the Right, whose throne is with the Gods below. They also have appointed unto men a law. Methought your edict could not so prevail, as that a mortal should overleap the silent irrefragable ordinances of heaven. Their life is not of to-day or yesterday. They are eternal. None knoweth of a time when they began. I feared not so the mind of any man, as to incur before the Gods the penalty of that law. I knew, forsooth, without your edict, that I was to die. And if I am to die before the time, I count it gain. For he must surely gain by death who lives, as I do, midst abounding woes. And so for me to meet this doom is a grief I reck not of. If I had borne to leave unburied the corpse, fallen in carnage, of my mother's son, that had been a grief to me, but this is no grief. And if I seem to you to be now doing foolishly, it comes to this;-I am condemned of folly by a fool.'

447. mvp-comment-257-1 τὰ κηρυχθέντα The proclamation made. Cobet's conjecture ᾔδησθα κηρυχθέντα (Νov. Lect. 1858. p. 215), while restoring the recognised Attic form, is unobjectionable in point of syntax. But the use of the article in pointing to his own decree is characteristic of Creon, and if ἠείδης is retained in the Iliad, 22. 280, why not ᾔδης in Tragedy?

449. mvp-comment-258-1 καὶ δῆτα And then. Cp. Plat. Theaet. 142 C, καὶ δῆτα προπέμψας αὐτόν, ἀπιὼν πάλιν, κ.τ.λ.

449. mvp-comment-258-2 τούσδε . . νόμους These laws, i. e. The laws whose majesty is vested in me. For this use of the demonstrative, see Essay on Language § 22. p. 34.

450. mvp-comment-259-1 I obeyed no decree of yesterday, but the eternal law. That cannot be annulled by any enactment of a mere man. It may be that I shall die for what I have done. But it needed not your proclamation to tell me that I must die. And to die before the term appointed me is to lose so much of sorrow.

451. mvp-comment-260-1 For the mythological fancy, cp. О. С. 1381-1382, εἴπερ ἐστὶν ἡ παλαίφατος | Δίκη ξύνεδρος Ζηνὸς ἀρχαίοις νόμοις.

452. mvp-comment-261-1 This line is rightly explained by the Scholiast and Donaldson, Ἡ δίκη, φησί, καὶ ὁ Ζεὺς ὥρισαν ὥστε θάπτεσθαι τοὺς νεκρούς.. θέλει δὲ εἰπεῖν ὅτι ἀπὸ τῆς φύσεως δίκαιον ἤγημαι θάπτειν τὸν ἀδελφόν. (Schol.) She replies, that she did not consider his proclamations as emanating from Zeus, the supreme God, or from that justice which regulated the rights of the dead, who, she says, have established these laws, namely, the laws of sepulture, which do not need any enactment, but have their ὅροι set up in the human heart. (Donaldson.) The iteration of τούσδε, in contrasting the law which she obeyed with the edict of Creon, is dramatically appropriate, and there is no difficulty in the vague use of the demonstrative. See Essay on Language § 22. p. 34. Cp. Od. 10. 326, τάδε φάρμακα.

454. mvp-comment-262-1 ἄγραπτα κἀσφαλῆ Unwritten and sure. Ср. О. Т. 865 ff., and note. ἀσφαλῆ is not only Never failing to apply, but also Never failing to vindicate their authority. Cp. II. 456 ff.

455. mvp-comment-263-1 θνητὸν ὄντα Sc. σέ, understood from τὰ σὰ κηρύγματα. That a mortal man should run beyond the silent irrefragable ordinances of the Gods. Cp. Eur. Ion 973, καὶ πῶς τὰ κρείσσω θνητός οὖσ᾽ ὑπερδράμω; Ο.Τ. 476-482

456. mvp-comment-264-1 νῦν .. κἀχθές To-day or yes- terday. The particle γε, ay, serves to connect the sentences, and τε is unnecessary, as appears from the similar expression, χθὲς καὶ πρώην, in Plat. Legg. 3. 677 D.

456. mvp-comment-264-2 ἀεί ποτε means Everlastingly, without any clear distinction of past or future. πότε gives the effect of indefiniteness or infinity.

457. mvp-comment-265-1 ζῇ Are in force. Cр. О. Т. 481, ἀεὶ ζῶντα περιποτᾶται.

457. mvp-comment-265-2 ἐξ ὅτου 'φάνη Since when they came into being. Cp. Tr. 1, λόγος ..

457. mvp-comment-265-3 ἀρχαῖος φανείς.

458-459. mvp-comment-266-1 τούτων.. τὴν δίκην The penalty to be exacted in vindication of these. The Gods might be said δίκην ἐπιτιθέναι τῶν παραβαθέντων νόμων, although the word in the genitive after δίκη more frequently signifies the offence for which punishment is awarded. Cp. infr. 1074, τούτων σε λωβητῆρες ὑστεροφθόροι, κ.τ.λ.

458-459. mvp-comment-266-2 ἀνδρός Of a mere man. Cp. O. C. 567, ἔξοιδ᾽ ἀνὴρ ὤν. 461 ff. Shak. Julius Caesar, 3. 1, 'Bru. That we shall die, we know; 'tis but the time | And drawing days out, that men stand upon. | Cass. Why, he that cuts off twenty years of life | Cuts off so many years of fearing death. | Bru. Grant that, and then is death a benefit: | So are we Caesar's friends, that have abridged His time of fearing death.'

458-459. mvp-comment-266-3 τοῦ χρόνου, sc. ἐν ᾧ μ᾿ ἐχρῆν θανεῖν.

462. mvp-comment-267-1 κέρδος αὔτ᾽ ἐγὼ λέγω αὔτ᾽, i. e. αὐτό, although not necessary to the construction, as appears from Plat. Apol. 40 Ε., κέρδος ἔγωγε λέγω, is better here than αὖτe, which weakens κέρδος.

463. mvp-comment-268-1 ὡς ἐγώ Supr. ll. 4-6.

466. mvp-comment-269-1 παρ᾿ οὐδὲν ἄλγος Is a grief of no account. Cp. supr. 35.

466. mvp-comment-269-2 ἐμῆς Meineke conj. ἐκ μιᾶs, Seyffert ὁμῆς, unnecessarily. The emphatic use of ἐμós is frequent in Sophocles.

467. mvp-comment-270-1 ἄθαπτον *ἠνσχόμην ἠνσχόμην (1) may be defended by the analogy of the syncopated ἀνσχήσεσθαι, ἄνσχεο, in Epic Greek. Otherwise (2) νέκυν may be cancelled as a gloss, and ἄθαπτον *ὄντ᾿ ἠνεσχόμην read, according to the conj. of Prof. E. L. Lushington. Or (3) ἐσχόμην may be read in the sense of ἠνεσχόμην. Ε. on L. § 55, 4. p. 101. But this is doubtful.

470. mvp-comment-271-1 μώρῳ i.e. One whose judgment is self-condemned, because opposed to the eternal laws. The word is not prompted by mere petulance, but is uttered with profound conviction.

471. mvp-comment-272-1 'The maiden's lineage declares itself in the fierce vein that comes to her from her fierce sire.' Phil. 1045-1046.

472. mvp-comment-273-1 ἐπίσταται Sc. ἡ παῖς.

473. mvp-comment-274-1 σκληρά Unbending, and so Stubborn, Obstinate.

473. mvp-comment-274-2 The self-will of Creon appears with increasing distinctness. (1) He asserts his confidence in the use of power to suppress insubordination. (2) He speaks of his ward, whom he does not care to name, as in the place of a slave (479): (3) he implies that to cede an inch of authority is to give the sovereignty to another (485). (4) He throws the tie of kindred to the winds. The first words of his speech are ominous of his own doom. See Introduction.

475. mvp-comment-275-1 ὀπτὸν .. περισκελή Baked to exceeding hardness. Cp. Aj. 649, καὶ περισκελεῖς φρένες.

476. mvp-comment-276-1 θραυσθέντα καὶ ῥαγέντα Broken and shattered. The strongest word is put first in the Greek. Essay on Language § 41. p.77.

477. mvp-comment-277-1 σμικρῷ has a strong emphasis. Ibid.

478. mvp-comment-278-1 ἐκπέλει Hesych. ἐκπέλει, ἔξεστι. Hdt. uses ἐκγίνεσθαι in a similar sense. See Essay on Language § 55. p. 101.

479. mvp-comment-279-1 δοῦλος Creon shows his coarsely tyrannical spirit by boasting of his absolute power over his orphan relative.

481. mvp-comment-280-1 Cp. Hdt. 3. 83, νόμους οὐκ ὑπερβαίνουσα τοὺς Περσέων.

484. mvp-comment-281-1 Cp. Eur. I. Α. 952 ff., ἢ Σίπυλος ἔσται πόλις, ὅρισμα βαρβάρων, κ.τ.λ.

485. mvp-comment-282-1 If this authority is to be allowed to rest with her unchallenged. By an exaggeration of feeling like that in l. 208, he thinks that to pardon disobedience is to yield authority to the offender. For κείσεται, cp. El. 361, σοὶ δὲ πλουσία | τράπεζα κείσθω: ἀνάκειμαι in Hdt. 1.97, γνοὺς ὁ Δηϊόκης ἐς ἑωυτὸν πᾶν ἀνακείμενον.

485. mvp-comment-282-2 κράτη, as in l. 173, ἐγὼ κράτη δὴ πάντα καὶ θρόνους ἔχω.

486. mvp-comment-283-1 ὁμαιμονεστέρα is the more rational and stronger reading: although in weighing a hyperbolical expression of this kind, that is perhaps hardly a sufficient argument, and may be urged on the other side as accounting for the alteration of the MS.

487. mvp-comment-284-1 τοῦ παντὸς.. Ζηνὸς ἐρκείου i.e. Our whole family, the presiding numen being put for the thing held sacred.

489. mvp-comment-285-1 μόρου For the genitive with ἀλύξετον, cp. Phil. 1044, τῆς νόσου πεφευγέναι.

489. mvp-comment-285-2 ἴσον is probably to be construed both with ἐπαιτιῶμαι and βουλεύσαι (‘I accuse equally of plotting equally'), and τοῦδε τάφου is partly gen. after ἐπαιτιῶμαι, partly after ἴσον.

491. mvp-comment-286-1 ἀρτίως Viz. after l. 331, when Ismene knew that the deed was done, and, alone of those in the palace, knew also by whom.

493-494. mvp-comment-287-1 And it commonly happens that the spirit of those who are plotting some utter wickedness in secret is convicted of its occulted guilt before the act.

493. mvp-comment-288-1 ᾑρῆσθαι κλοπεύς Το be arrested in some stealthy enterprise. The perfect tense marks that the detection is completed before the purpose is carried into effect. Cp. πεπραγμένα .. ἡμαρτημένα, in O. T. 621.

495. mvp-comment-289-1 Yet I hate it equally when one who is caught in actual mischief tries to make a virtue of the offence.

495. mvp-comment-289-2 ἐν κακοῖσι = In trouble, i. e. In crime, and not merely, like Ismene, in the consciousness of crime. Cp. Fr. 843, αἰδὼς γὰρ ἐν κακοῖσιν οὐδὲν ὠφελεῖ.

496. mvp-comment-290-1 καλλύνειν Creon affects to regard Antigone's appeal to the higher law as a piece of hypocrisy. Cp. Fr. 845

496. mvp-comment-290-2 κλέπτων δ᾽ ὅταν τις ἐμφανῶς ἐφευρεθῇ, | σιγᾶν ἀνάγκη, κἂν καλὸν φέρῃ στόμα.

497. mvp-comment-291-1 Cp. Eur. Phoen. 1211.

500. mvp-comment-292-1 μηδ' ἀρεσθείη Sc. μηδὲν τῶν σῶν λόγων.

501. mvp-comment-293-1 ἔφυ Are by nature, and so cannot fail to be.

505. mvp-comment-294-1 λέγοιτ' ἄν For the passive, see Essay on Language § 31. P. 54 *ἐγκλείσαι] Cp. supr. 1. 180. Dindorf's correction (with εί for ῄ) is retained in preference to ἐγκλείοι. The future optative is clearly wrong.

506-507. mvp-comment-295-1 These two lines have been considered spurious. But their scornful tone may be compared with supr. 469-470.

509. mvp-comment-296-1 ὑπίλλουσι ἴλλειν (cp. supr. 340) is To move within bounds, or To limit motion. So here, 'They move their lips under your restraint; i. e. They curb their speech under your will.

510. mvp-comment-297-1 τῶνδε .. φρονεῖς; If you hold a course divergent from theirs. Cp. supr. 375, μήτ᾽ ἴσον φρονῶν.

512. mvp-comment-298-1 καταντίον In opposition to him.

514. mvp-comment-299-1 Why then do you honour a service which involves impiety to him? Honour, i. e. By zealously performing it.

515. mvp-comment-300-1 ὁ κατθανών νέκυς Eteocles.

516. mvp-comment-301-1 i. e. If you honour the impious one equally with him.

517. mvp-comment-302-1 For the omission of the participle, see Essay on Language § 23. p. 38.

519. mvp-comment-303-1 τοὺς νόμους τούτους Cp. supr. 452.

519. mvp-comment-303-2 ἴσους, the reading of the corrector of L, rather injures the line by dividing the emphasis, which rests entirely on ὅμως. Essay on Language § 41. p. 76 (4).

520. mvp-comment-304-1 ἴσος Of equal right. ἴσos has the construction of ἄξιος or δίκαιος. Essay on Language § 36. p. 64.

521. mvp-comment-305-1 Who can tell if this be not esteemed pious in the under-world? τάδε, this, which you count impious, the burial of Polynices. Schol., τίς οἶδεν εἰ καθ' Ἅιδου ἀλλήλοις διαλλάσσοντες ἡγοῦνται εὐσεβῆ τάδε. τίς οἶδεν εἰ, like Haud scio an in Latin, suggests an affirmative as possible, as in the lines τίς οἶδεν εἰ τὸ ζῆν μὲν ἐστι κατθανεῖν | τὸ κατθανεῖν δὲ ζῆν; κάτωθεν, see v. rr., is possibly right.

522-523. mvp-comment-306-1 Creon means that Eteocles must still hate Polynices after death. To which Antigone rejoins, in the line which expresses what is deepest in her, If it be so, his hatred is no rule for me. Creon sees that further argument is useless, and breaks off impatiently with an abrupt sentence of death.

524-525. mvp-comment-307-1 Go, then, to your grave, and there, if you must love them, love the dead below! κείνους, sc. τοὺς κάτω, with particular reference to Polynices.

526-530. mvp-comment-308-1 Here comes Ismene forth, shedding sisterly tears; from clouds above her brow, that moisten her fair cheek, doing disgrace unto her flushed countenance. Cp. Sh Shakespeare, Midsummer Night's Dream, 1. 1, Lys. Why is your cheek so pale? | How chance the roses there do fade so fast? | Herm. Belike, for want of rain, which I could well | Beteem them from the tempest of mine eyes. Ant. and Cleo. 3. 2. 52. Il. 17. 591, ἄχεος νεφέλη: Eur. Hipp. 173, ὀφρύων νέφος: Aesch. Prom. 144-145, ὀμίχλα .. πλήρης δακρύων.

527. mvp-comment-309-1 δάκρυ᾽ εἰβομένη is the Triclinian reading for δάκρυα λειβόμενα. δάκρυ λειβομένη has been conjectured. But the construction, with φιλάδελφα adverbial, is less simple and therefore less pathetic. δάκρυα εἰβομένη is read in M³.

529. mvp-comment-310-1 ῥέθος Eur. Η. F. 1204, πάρες ἀπ᾿ ὀμμάτων | πέπλον . . ῥέθος ἀελίῳ δεῖξον.

531. mvp-comment-311-1 ὡς ἔχιδν᾽ ὑφειμένη Having slid in secretly like a snake; i.e. Like a serpent lurking. For the feeling associated with ὑφίημι, cp. Ο. Τ. 387, ὑφεὶς μάγον τοιόνδε μηχανορράφον.

532. mvp-comment-312-1 ἐξέπινες Cp. Tr. 1055-1056, ῥοφεῖ ξυνοικοῦν· ἐκ δὲ χλωρὸν αἷμά μου | πέπωκεν ἤδη.

533. mvp-comment-313-1 ἄτα κἀπαναστάσεις Abstract for concrete. See Essay on Language p. 94.

533. mvp-comment-313-2 θρόνων, obj. gen. Ib. § 9. p. 12.

536. mvp-comment-314-1 εἴπερ ἥδ᾽ ὁμορροθεῖ The Scholiast has noticed the apparent absurdity of Ismene's adding this condition to her avowal; and Schneidewin alters the line το δέδρακα τοὔργον, εἴπερ ἥδ᾽· ὁμορροθῶ. But the inconsistency is touchingly significant of the irresolute character of Ismene, and of the ascendancy of Antigone's stern nature over hers.

537. mvp-comment-315-1 τῆς αἰτίας is directly governed by ξυμμετίσχω, the notion of participation being silently continued in καὶ φέρω. Cp. Aesch. Prom. 331, πάντων μετασχὼν καὶ τετολμηκὼς ἐμοί.

539. mvp-comment-316-1 οὔτ᾽ ἐγὼ 'κοινωσάμην Supr. 69.

541. mvp-comment-317-1 ξύμπλουν Essay on Language p. 94.

542. mvp-comment-318-1 Antigone's offering to the dead was made in solitude, and without the presence of the sun.

545. mvp-comment-319-1 ἁγνίσαι τιμῆσαι Schol. Ismene means, Though I shrank from the deed, let me share the glory of it by accepting the consequences.

546. mvp-comment-320-1 ἅ = ταῦτα ὧν. Essay on Language § 35. P. 59. μή, ibid. § 29. p. 48.

548. mvp-comment-321-1 τίς βίος i. e. πῶς ὁ βίος; See Essay on Language § 22. p. 36.

549. mvp-comment-322-1 'Ask Creon. He has your care and duty;' i.e. Creon is more to you than your brother is.

551. mvp-comment-323-1 εἰ γέλωτ᾽ ἔν σοι γελῶ Schneidewin's explanation of this line, It is painful to me to be mocking you, my sister, is out of harmony with the tone of Antigone, although it is true that in this line her bitterness is somewhat softened. Either δή, κεἰ must be read, or εἰ explained as = κεἰ. I have grief enough, I assure you, though I laugh a bitter laugh at thee. Cp. 728, εἰ δ' ἐγὼ νέος = Though I am young: Eur. Or. 484, εἰ δὲ δυστυχεῖ, τιμητέος. See Essay on Language § 28. p. 47.

552. mvp-comment-324-1 ἀλλὰ νῦν Essay on Language § 26. p. 43. Par. E suggests ἐπωφελοῖμ᾽.

554. mvp-comment-325-1 κἀμπλάκω i. e. ἢ σώσω ἐμαυτὴν καὶ ἀμπλάκω.

556. mvp-comment-326-1 ἀλλ᾽ οὐκ . . λόγοις But not without my saying what I said, was this choice made. Ismene would clear herself from the imputation of merely shrinking from the attempt through cowardice, or without laying before her sister the grounds of her own conduct, as she had done supr. 49 ff. She also wishes to remind Antigone of ll. 78, 99, which acquit her of indifference towards the dead. But Antigone only recalls the argument against opposing those in power. Wolff compares Eur. Ion 228, ἐπὶ δ' ἀσφάκτοις μήλοις μὴ πάριτε.

557. mvp-comment-327-1 Your counsel seemed wise to these' (Creon, etc., τοῖς ἐνθάδε), but mine to those (Polynices and the powers below, τοῖς ἐκεῖ). The form of the sentence is accommodated to the latter part of it. If the first part were fully expressed it would be ἐδόκεις ἄν. G. Wolff and Wecklein prefer the reading σὺ μὲν σοί. But the opposition of τοῖς μὲν, τοῖς δέ, is more pointed.

558. mvp-comment-328-1 (1) Ismene reiterates, still feebly, what she had asserted in 536-537. Or (2) 'We are both in equal error,'-you against the state, and I against the dead. The first (1) is best. In either case, Antigone rejoins, You need not trouble yourself to make confessions. You are safe.

559-560. mvp-comment-329-1 ἡ δ᾽ ἐμὴ.. ὠφελεῖν My soul has long been with the dead, to do them service. In these words Antigone may be supposed to say, either (1) From the moment when my resolution was taken, my life has been with the dead, devoted in sacrifice to their aid; cp. supr. 72 and note: or (2) I have long been dead to all the joys of life, and am therefore a fit sacrifice to the service of the dead. So Wecklein. Cp. Shak. Merch. of V. 4. 1, I am a tainted wether of the flock, etc. But the former meaning (1) is alone consistent with the betrothal of Antigone to Haemon.

562. mvp-comment-330-1 τὴν δ᾽.. ἔφυ We learn from this line, and from supr. 499-501, that there had never been much sympathy between Antigone and Creon.

563-564. mvp-comment-331-1 The unfortunate never retain even the reason that was born with them, but lose it in distraction. Ismene intends her excuse to cover Antigone.

564. mvp-comment-332-1 Creon echoes κακῶς πράσσουσιν. You lost your wits when you chose to share the guilt of the wicked. Cp. 536 ff., 558.

566. mvp-comment-333-1 Why, what life that deserves the name could be mine in loneliness apart from her?

567. mvp-comment-334-1 Say not "this maiden." She is no longer here. The word ἥδε remains in the nominative. This often happens when a word is quoted with the article; which, however, is elsewhere omitted in similar cases, as for instance when the word so quoted is the predicate of a sentence. Cp. Plato, Theaet. 164 Β, τὸ δέ γε οὐχ ὁρᾷ οὐκ ἐπίσταταί ἐστιν, εἴπερ καὶ τὸ ὁρᾷ ἐπίσταται, where ἐπίσταται is equally out of construction with ἥδε in this line.

568. mvp-comment-335-1 νυμφεῖα Essay on Language p. 94.

569. mvp-comment-336-1 Ср. О. Т. 1211, 1497-1498, foll.

570. mvp-comment-337-1 Not as their hearts were plighted. Literally, Not in such a way as harmony had been prepared between him and her. Cp. Pind. Pyth. 9.13, ξυνὸν ἁρμόζοισα θεῷ τε γάμον κούρᾳ θ' Ὑψέος εὐρυβία.

571. mvp-comment-338-1 The plural generalizes the expression.

571. mvp-comment-338-2 υἱέσι Dative of the person interested.

572. mvp-comment-339-1 *AN. The MSS. have ΙΣ. But Böckh has given strong reasons for following Aldus in assigning the line to Antigone. The last speech of Creon might well move her to break silence, which she does naturally by resenting the words not for herself, but for Haemon. There is also greater bitterness in this line than in any speech of Ismene. Then, granting that τὸ σὸν λέχος, addressed to Ismene, might mean The marriage you prate of, the words express a much deeper feeling as addressed to Antigone. Outwardly a mere expression of impatience, they convey the only touch of natural feeling which Creon betrays. 574 and 576 are then most naturally given to the chorus. The act of Creon in sacrificing his son's happiness is more solemnly marked when his words are addressed to the coryphaeus. While adhering to this view I am bound to add that some of the best critics prefer the other arrangement of the persons.

577. mvp-comment-340-1 καὶ σοί γε κάμοί Sc. δεδογ μένα: i. e. σὺ μὲν οὕτω δοκεῖς, ἐμοὶ δὲ δέδοκται. We are agreed so far.

577. mvp-comment-340-2 τριβάς Sc. ποιείσθε. Essay on Language §39. p. 74.

578. mvp-comment-341-1 'Henceforth these must be really women, and not left at large;' i. e. They must be treated as women. Cp. l. 484. This reading, although defaced in L, may well be defended against such would-be improvements as εὖ δὲ τάσδε χρὴ | γυναῖκας εἶλαι (Dind.), and εὖ δετὰς δὲ χρὴ | γυναῖκας εἶναι (Seyffert), which are to be condemned, amongst other reasons, for destroying the singleness of the emphasis. Creon, as usual, covers his self-will under the appearance of principle. Cp. Plat. Legg. 1.637, ταχὺ γάρ σου λάβοιτ᾽ ἄν τις τῶν παρ' ἡμῶν ἀμυνόμενος, δεικνὺς τὴν τῶν γυναικῶν παρ' ὑμῖν ἄνεσιν : Ar. Pol. 2. 6. The words indicate that Antigone's going beyond the gate, supr. 18, 19, was an exceptional freedom, consequent on the war. Thus Sophocles is contented with a hint, where Euripides thinks an explanation necessary: Phoen. 89-91.

582. mvp-comment-342-1 The fate of Antigone is sealed, and the chorus moralize over the power of fate and of Zeus, as shown in the continued calamities of the race of Labdacus, and the infatuation ('quem Deus vult perdere, prius dementat ') of Antigone. The spectator is left free to apply the same reflections to the case of Creon.

582. mvp-comment-342-2 'Calamity is like a storm that stirs the lowest depths and sounds afar. The race once touched is never free. Each generation as it rises is struck down.

582. mvp-comment-342-3 'The house of Labdacus has sorrow upon sorrow. Amidst the ruined grove one root was springing, only to be swept under by the cruel dues of Hades in a frenzy of infatuation.

582. mvp-comment-342-4 Who can restrain the power of Zeus? Unchecked by sleep or age he ever dwells in the light of Olympus. This was and shall be now and evermore, a truth that spareth not the lives of men, whom hope deceives, giving comfort indeed, but also inspiring passionate folly, till disappointment comes, before the man hath seen that he is treading on fire. Wise was he who said that evil seemeth good to one whom God is drawing to perdition. Few are the days of his exemption from that dark lot.

582. mvp-comment-342-5 The 1st strophe opens solemnly with three dactylo-epitritic or Doric lines, which are followed by iambic and trochaic rhythms. The 2nd strophe is logaoedic, with syncope of thesis in ll. 3, 5, 7, 11 a'. β'. ILCCICcl alcl- LullLCClcclcla 10101010 51-1 CLL下CICLI トCICICI CCICCICLI 1101007ID トトー CCCII 100II

582. mvp-comment-342-6 οἶσι .. αἰών Whose life is free from taste of misery. Blessed, because of the rarity of their lot, and because of the unsparing persistence of calamity when it comes to any. For κακῶν ἄγευστος, cp. Ο. Τ. 969, ἄψαυστος ἔγχους.

583. mvp-comment-343-1 θεόθεν The adverb of place supports the metaphor of a storm coming from a certain quarter. Cp. Aesch. Prom. 1089, ῥιπὴ Διόθεν.

583-584. mvp-comment-344-1 ἄτας | οὐδὲν ἐλλείπει Cp. l. 2, ff.

585. mvp-comment-345-1 ἔρπον The real subject of this is πᾶσα ἄτη (or τὸ πᾶν ἄτης) implied in the preceding words, the positive being educed from the negative. Calamity stints not, but goes on till it fulfils the number of the race.

586-589. mvp-comment-346-1 ὅμοιον.. πνοαῖς Like as when the billow courses over the darkening deep before fell Thracian blasts from the Euxine sea. Some interpreters make ἔρεβος subj, and οἶδμα obj. of ἐπιδράμῃ, when the darkening wave courses over the main. But οἶδμα elsewhere in Sophocles is not the expanse (aequor) but the swelling of the sea, and ἔρεβος ὕφαλον can hardly be anything else than the nether darkness of the deep. For the accumulation of adjectives, see Essay on Language § 23. p. 37. Seyffert reads ὡς προποντίδος. 589 ff. It rolls from depths below the black tempestuous drift. 591. And the cliffs, returning the shock, groaningly resound.'

586-589. mvp-comment-346-2 δυσάνεμον A sign of tempest, 'Associated with bad winds, because only seen when the wind has been blowing hard on shore. Ventorum vehementiorum comitem.' Musgr. 593, foll. From of old I see with pain' (ὁρῶμαι, ethical middle, Essay on Language § 31. p. 52) 'the calamities of the house of Labdacus accumulating on the calamities of those that are gone; nor does one generation free another, but some god casts them down; nor is there hope of redemption.'

586-589. mvp-comment-346-3 ἀρχαῖα has the stress as suppl. predicate. Essay on Language § 23. p. 38.

595. mvp-comment-347-1 The reading of this line has been much questioned, but the meaning is clear, although it is uncertain what word (whether φθιτῶν or some other) has been supplanted by the unmetrical φθιμένων: which may be due to a reminiscence of Aesch. Cho. 403. 4, παρὰ τῶν πρότερον φθιμένων ἄτην | ἑτέραν ἐπάγουσαν ἐπ᾿ ἄτῃ.

596. mvp-comment-348-1 γενεὰν γένος There is no distinction of meaning (such as One generation, .. 'The whole race'). Cp. O. C. 27, 28, ἐξοικήσιμος .. οἰκητός.

596. mvp-comment-348-2 ἐρείπει Sc. γενεὰν ἑκάστην. Cp. infra 601, κατ᾽ αὖ νιν, κ.τ.λ.

597. mvp-comment-349-1 οὐδ᾽ ἔχει Nor does the case admit of. Cp. Ο. C. 545, ἔχει δέ μοι ..

597. mvp-comment-349-2 πρὸς δίκας τι.

600. mvp-comment-350-1 ῥίζας Ἀντὶ τοῦ, ὅπερ ἔβλαστεν ἄνω τῆς ῥίζης, Schol. The root, for the plant.

600. mvp-comment-350-2 *ἐτέτατο The Scholiast notes the asyndeton (λείπει ἄρθρον τὸ ὅ): which is expressive and allows viv to be referred to ῥίζας, to which it naturally belongs. And in the reading ῥίζας δ τέτατο, the order of words is questionable. For ἐτέτατο φάος, cp. Phil. 831, αἴγλαν, ἃ τέταται τανῦν. The light is the grace and nobleness of Antigone, and her bright hopes. The conj. θάλος, for which, cp. Pind. Οl. 2. 45, Ἀδραστιδᾶν θάλος, is uncalled for.

Sophocles Antigone 1137

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Current edition Experimental

die weit du, weit vorziehst an Ehren jeglicher Stadt,

mit der Donnermutter du!

Komme jetzt, da graunvoll

das gesammte Land des Weh's herbe Gewalt erfafst,

sühnvollen Fufses über der Parnassoshöh'n
1090

Geklüft steigend oder die wilde Meerfurt!

Gegenstr. 2.

Der Stadt, die du weit höher ehrst als jegliche Stadt,

Samt der Mutter, die des Zeus¹

Donner traf! Auch nun komm,
1110

Da gewaltig schwere Noth über das ganze Land

Einstürmte, rettend über des Parnassos Höh'n

Daher, oder über die wilde Meerfurt!

Zweite Gegenstrophe.

Chorus.

Chorus

Touching our royal master, bringst thou news

Of sorrow to us?

Messenger

They are dead ; and those
1175

Who live the dreadful cause.
1175

Choe. Quick, tell us who —
1175

The slayer and the slain !
1175

Messenger

Hsemon is dead.

Cttor. Dead ! by what hand, his father's or his own ?

Mets. Enraged and grieving for liis murdered love,

He slew himself.

Chorus

O proijhet ! thy predictions

Were bnt too true !

Messenger

Since thus it be, 'tis fit

We should consult ; our present state demands it,

Chorus

But see ! Eurydice, the wretched wife
1180

Of Creon, comes this way ; or chance hath brought her.

Or Haemon's hapless fate hath reached her ear.

Eurydice
Scene II.

Antistrofa 2.a

CORO

Denn die ehrst du vor allen

Als höchste der Städte

Mit der blizgetroffenen Mutter.

Jezt aber, da von gewaltiger

Krankheit die ganze Stadt |
1190

Ist befangen, müssen wir

Der Bufse Schritte gehen über

Den Parnassischen Hügel oder

Die seufzende Furth.

Chorus

What is this new grief for our princes that you have come to report?

Messenger

They are dead, and the living are guilty of the deaths.

Chorus

Who is the murderer? Who the murdered? Tell us.

Messenger

Haemon is dead—his blood was shed by no strange hand.
1175

Chorus

Was it his father’s, or his own ?

Messenger

He did it by his own, enraged with his father for the murder.

Chorus

Ah, prophet, how true, then, you have proved your word!

Messenger

Knowing that these things are so, you must consider the rest.

Chorus

Wait, I see the unhappy Eurydice, Creon’s wife, nearby. She comes from the house either knowing of her son, or merely by chance.
1180

Chorus

What would you infer from this? The lady

has turned back and gone without a word, either for good or for evil.
1245

Chorus

I do not know. But to me, in any case, a silence too strict seems to promise trouble just as much as a fruitless abundance of weeping.

Messenger

I will find out whether she is not, in fact, hiding some repressed plan in the darkness of her passionate heart.

I will go in, since you are right—in an excess of silence, too, there may be trouble. Exit Messenger.
1255

Chorus

Look, here is the King himself approaching, his hands grasping a monument plainly signing that his—if we may say it—and no one else’s,

was the madness of this error.
1260

Commentary

Stable identifiers

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Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Current edition Experimental

die weit du, weit vorziehst an Ehren jeglicher Stadt, mit der Donnermutter du! Komme jetzt, da graunvoll das gesammte Land des Weh's herbe Gewalt erfafst, sühnvollen Fufses über der Parnassoshöh'n 1090 Geklüft steigend oder die wilde Meerfurt! Gegenstr. 2.

First of cities manifold, Thou and the nymph whom lightning made Mother of thy radiant head. Come then with healing for the violent woe 1140 That o’er our peopled land doth largely flow, Passing the high Parnassian steep Or moaning narrows of the deep! 1145 Come, leader of the starry quire 1145

Der Stadt, die du weit höher ehrst als jegliche Stadt, Samt der Mutter, die des Zeus 1 Donner traf! Auch nun komm, 1110 Da gewaltig schwere Noth über das ganze Land Einstürmte, rettend über des Parnassos Höh'n Daher, oder über die wilde Meerfurt! Zweite Gegenstrophe.

Chorus.

Chorus Touching our royal master, bringst thou news Of sorrow to us?

Messenger They are dead ; and those 1175 Who live the dreadful cause. 1175 Choe. Quick, tell us who — 1175 The slayer and the slain ! 1175

Messenger Hsemon is dead. Cttor. Dead ! by what hand, his father's or his own ? Mets. Enraged and grieving for liis murdered love, He slew himself.

Chorus O proijhet ! thy predictions Were bnt too true !

Messenger Since thus it be, 'tis fit We should consult ; our present state demands it,

Chorus But see ! Eurydice, the wretched wife 1180 Of Creon, comes this way ; or chance hath brought her. Or Haemon's hapless fate hath reached her ear.

Eurydice Scene II.

Antistrofa 2.a

CORO

Denn die ehrst du vor allen Als höchste der Städte Mit der blizgetroffenen Mutter. Jezt aber, da von gewaltiger Krankheit die ganze Stadt | 1190 Ist befangen, müssen wir Der Bufse Schritte gehen über Den Parnassischen Hügel oder Die seufzende Furth.

Chorus What is this new grief for our princes that you have come to report?

Messenger They are dead, and the living are guilty of the deaths.

Chorus Who is the murderer? Who the murdered? Tell us.

Messenger Haemon is dead—his blood was shed by no strange hand. 1175

Chorus Was it his father’s, or his own ?

Messenger He did it by his own, enraged with his father for the murder.

Chorus Ah, prophet, how true, then, you have proved your word!

Messenger Knowing that these things are so, you must consider the rest.

Chorus Wait, I see the unhappy Eurydice, Creon’s wife, nearby. She comes from the house either knowing of her son, or merely by chance. 1180

Chorus What would you infer from this? The lady has turned back and gone without a word, either for good or for evil. 1245

Chorus I do not know. But to me, in any case, a silence too strict seems to promise trouble just as much as a fruitless abundance of weeping.

Messenger I will find out whether she is not, in fact, hiding some repressed plan in the darkness of her passionate heart. I will go in, since you are right—in an excess of silence, too, there may be trouble. Exit Messenger. 1255

Chorus Look, here is the King himself approaching, his hands grasping a monument plainly signing that his—if we may say it—and no one else’s, was the madness of this error. 1260

Commentary

Stable identifiers

die weit du, weit vorziehst an Ehren jeglicher Stadt,

mit der Donnermutter du!

Komme jetzt, da graunvoll

das gesammte Land des Weh's herbe Gewalt erfafst,

sühnvollen Fufses über der Parnassoshöh'n
1090

Geklüft steigend oder die wilde Meerfurt!

Gegenstr. 2.

Der Stadt, die du weit höher ehrst als jegliche Stadt,

Samt der Mutter, die des Zeus¹

Donner traf! Auch nun komm,
1110

Da gewaltig schwere Noth über das ganze Land

Einstürmte, rettend über des Parnassos Höh'n

Daher, oder über die wilde Meerfurt!

Zweite Gegenstrophe.

Chorus

Touching our royal master, bringst thou news

Of sorrow to us?

Messenger

They are dead ; and those
1175

Who live the dreadful cause.
1175

Choe. Quick, tell us who —
1175

The slayer and the slain !
1175

Messenger

Hsemon is dead.

Cttor. Dead ! by what hand, his father's or his own ?

Mets. Enraged and grieving for liis murdered love,

He slew himself.

Chorus

O proijhet ! thy predictions

Were bnt too true !

Messenger

Since thus it be, 'tis fit

We should consult ; our present state demands it,

Chorus

But see ! Eurydice, the wretched wife
1180

Of Creon, comes this way ; or chance hath brought her.

Or Haemon's hapless fate hath reached her ear.

Eurydice
Scene II.

Denn die ehrst du vor allen

Als höchste der Städte

Mit der blizgetroffenen Mutter.

Jezt aber, da von gewaltiger

Krankheit die ganze Stadt |
1190

Ist befangen, müssen wir

Der Bufse Schritte gehen über

Den Parnassischen Hügel oder

Die seufzende Furth.

Chorus

What is this new grief for our princes that you have come to report?

Messenger

They are dead, and the living are guilty of the deaths.

Chorus

Who is the murderer? Who the murdered? Tell us.

Messenger

Haemon is dead—his blood was shed by no strange hand.
1175

Chorus

Was it his father’s, or his own ?

Messenger

He did it by his own, enraged with his father for the murder.

Chorus

Ah, prophet, how true, then, you have proved your word!

Messenger

Knowing that these things are so, you must consider the rest.

Chorus

Wait, I see the unhappy Eurydice, Creon’s wife, nearby. She comes from the house either knowing of her son, or merely by chance.
1180

Chorus

What would you infer from this? The lady

has turned back and gone without a word, either for good or for evil.
1245

Chorus

I do not know. But to me, in any case, a silence too strict seems to promise trouble just as much as a fruitless abundance of weeping.

Messenger

I will find out whether she is not, in fact, hiding some repressed plan in the darkness of her passionate heart.

I will go in, since you are right—in an excess of silence, too, there may be trouble. Exit Messenger.
1255

Chorus

Look, here is the King himself approaching, his hands grasping a monument plainly signing that his—if we may say it—and no one else’s,

was the madness of this error.
1260