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At illa dea erat et divino satu genita;

nos vero homines et mortali sanguine creti; et tibi mortuae praeclarum erit, si dicaris aequalium diis sortem experta fuisse.

Antigone

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)) — 834 focus

ἀλλὰ θεός τοι καὶ θεογεννής·

ἡμεῖς δὲ βροτοὶ καὶ θνητογενεῖς.

καίτοι φθιμένᾳ μέγ᾽ ἀκοῦσαι,

τοῖσιν ¹ ἰσοθέοις ἔγκληρα λαχεῖν.

Ἀντιγόνη

c

Greek (A. Boeckh, 1884) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (A. Boeckh, 1884)) — 834 focus

Χορός

ἀλλὰ θεός τοι καὶ θεογεννής,

ἡμεῖς δὲ βροτοὶ καὶ θνητογενεῖς·

καίτοι φθιμένῳ τοῖς ἰσοθέοις
805

ἔγκληρα λαχεῖν, μέγ᾽ ἀκοῦσαι.

Ἀντιγόνη

2

Greek (F. H. Bothe, 1806) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (F. H. Bothe, 1806)) — 834 focus

ἀλλὰ θεός τοι καὶ θεογεννὴς,

ἡμεῖς δὲ βροτοὶ καὶ θνητογενεῖς ·

καί σοι φθιμένᾳ μέγ᾽ ἀκοῦσαι,

τοῖς ἰσοθέοις ἔγκληρα λαχεῖν.

Ἀντιγόνη

3

Greek (Lewis Campbell, 1879) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (Lewis Campbell, 1879)) — 834 focus

ἀλλὰ θεός τοι καὶ θεογεννής,

ἡμεῖς δὲ βροτοὶ καὶ θνητογενεῖς.
835

†καίτοι φθιμένῳ μέγ᾽ ἀκοῦσαι

τοῖς ἰσοθέοις ἔγκληρα λαχεῖν

[ζῶσαν καὶ ἔπειτα θανοῦσαν.]

Ἀντιγόνη
β

Greek (A. Colonna, 1978) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (A. Colonna, 1978)) — 834 focus

ἀλλὰ θεός τοι καὶ θεογεννής,

ἡμεῖς δὲ βροτοὶ καὶ θνητογενεῖς.
835

καίτοι φθιμένᾳ μέγα κἀκοῦσαι

τοῖς ἰσοθέοις σύγκληρα λαχεῖν

ζῶσαν καὶ ἔπειτα θανοῦσαν.

Ἀντιγόνη
2

Greek (A. Dain, 1955) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (A. Dain, 1955)) — 834 focus

ἀλλὰ θεός τοι καὶ θεογεννής,

ἡμεῖς δὲ βροτοὶ καὶ θνητογενεῖς.
835

καίτοι φθιμένῃ μέγ α κἀκοῦσαι

τοῖς ἰσοθέοις σύγκληρα λαχεῖν

ζῶσαν καὶ ἔπειτα θανοῦσαν.

Ἀντιγόνη
2

Greek (R. D. Dawe, 1979) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (R. D. Dawe, 1979)) — 834 focus

ἀλλὰ θεός τοι καὶ θεογεννής,

ἡμεῖς δὲ βροτοὶ καὶ θνητογενεῖς·
835

καίτοι φθιμένηι μέγα κἀκοῦσαι

τοῖς ἰσοθέοις σύγκληρα λαχεῖν

ζῶσαν καὶ ἔπειτα θανοῦσαν.

3

Ἀντιγόνη

Greek (G. Hermann, 1830) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (G. Hermann, 1830)) — 834 focus

ἀλλὰ θεός τοι καὶ θεογεννής·

ἡμεῖς δὲ βροτοὶ καὶ θνητογενεῖς.

καίτοι φθιμένῳ τοῖς ἰσοθέοις
830

ἔγκληρα λαχεῖν μέγ᾽ ἀκοῦσαι.

Ἀντιγόνη

1

Greek (R. C. Jebb, 1906) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (R. C. Jebb, 1906)) — 834 focus

ἀλλὰ θεός τοι καὶ θεογεννής,

ἡμεῖς δὲ βροτοὶ καὶ θνητογενεῖς.
835

καίτοι φθιμένῃ μέγα κἀκοῦσαι

τοῖς ἰσοθέοις σύγκληρα λαχεῖν

ζῶσαν καὶ ἔπειτα θανοῦσαν.

Ἀντιγόνη
2

Greek (A. C. Pearson, 1924) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (A. C. Pearson, 1924)) — 834 focus

ἀλλὰ θεός τοι καὶ θεογεννής,

ἡμεῖς δὲ βροτοὶ καὶ θνατογενεῖς,
835

καίτοι φθιμένᾳ μέγα κἀκοῦσαι

τοῖς ἰσοθέοις σύγκληρα λαχεῖν

ζῶσαν καὶ ἔπειτα θανοῦσαν.

Ἀντιγόνη

Antigone (OCR draft) Experimental (Antigone) — 834 focus

Χορός

ἀλλὰ θεός τοι καὶ θεογεννής,

ἡμεῖς δὲ βροτοὶ καὶ θνητογενεῖς.
835

καίτοι φθιμένῃ μέγα κἀκοῦσαι

τοῖς ἰσοθέοις σύγκληρα λαχεῖν.

ζῶσαν καὶ ἔπειτα θανοῦσαν.

Greek (K. Reinhardt, 1949) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (K. Reinhardt, 1949)) — 834 focus

ἀλλὰ θεός τοι καὶ θεογεννής,

ἡμεῖς δὲ βροτοὶ καὶ θνητογενεῖς.
835

καίτοι φθιμέναι μέγα κἀκοῦσαι

τοῖς ἰσοθέοις σύγκληρα λαχεῖν

ζῶσαν καὶ ἔπειτα θανοῦσαν.

Ἀντιγόνη

Translations (10)

German (A. Boeckh, 1884) (OCR draft) Experimental (German (A. Boeckh, 1884)) — 834 focus

CHOR.

Doch Göttin ist sie, von der Götter Geschlecht,

wir Sterbliche nur, aus irdischem Stamm:

wie groſs ist der Ruhm, Gottgleicher Geschick
805

hinscheidend zu theilen im Grabe!

ANTIGONE.
Str. 2.

Spanish (J. A. Bolufer, 1921) (OCR draft) Experimental (Spanish (J. A. Bolufer, 1921)) — 834 focus

Pero ella, en verdad, es diosa, y de un dios había nacido; mas nosotros somos mortales, y de hombres procedemos; y para un mortal, el obtener suerte semejante a la de los dioses es grande gloria.

ANTIGONA

English (Lewis Campbell, 1906) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Lewis Campbell, 1906)) — 834 focus

Ah! now myself am carried past the bound

Of law, nor can I check the rising tear,
835

When I behold Antigone even here

Touching the quiet bourne where all must rest.

ANT
Enter ANTIGONE guarded.

German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review) (OCR draft) Experimental (German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review)) — 834 focus

Ja, sie war Göttin, göttlichen Stamms,¹

Wir Sterbliche nur und von Menschen gezeugt:

Doch groß ist der Ruhm, mit Göttergeschlecht

Das Geschick im Tode zu theilen.

Dritte Strophe.

Antigone.

English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759)) — 834 focus

A goddess she, and from a goddess sprung ;

We are but mortal, and of mortals born :
835

To meet the fate of gods thus in thy life,

A.nd in thy death, oh ! 'tis a glorious doom !

Antigone

Spanish (A. G. Garbin, 1889) (OCR draft) Experimental (Spanish (A. G. Garbin, 1889)) — 834 focus

Empero ella cra una deidad y de dioses des- ccndiente; nosotros somos humanos y nacidos de mortales. Así, pues, será más gloriosa tu muerte; pues que tu destino es semejante al de los dioses.

Estrofa 2.a

ANTÍGONA

German (F. Hölderlin, 1804) (OCR draft) Experimental (German (F. Hölderlin, 1804)) — 834 focus

CHOR

Doch heilig gesprochen, heilig gezeuget

Ist die, wir aber Erd’ und irdisch gezeuget.

Vergehst du gleich, doch ist ein Grofses, zu hören,

Du habst, Gott gleichen gleich, empfangen ein Loos,
865

Lebendig und dann gestorben.

English (Sir Richard Jebb1, 1904) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Sir Richard Jebb1, 1904)) — 834 focus

Yet she was a goddess, thou knowest, and born of gods; we are mortals, and of mortal race. But ’tis great renown for a woman who hath perished that she should have shared the doom of the godlike, in her life, and afterward in death.

Antigone

2

English (Robert Potter, 1788) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Robert Potter, 1788)) — 834 focus

She was divine, and sprung from race divine;

But we are mortal, and of mortals born.
835

For thee how glorious then to share like fate

With those of heav'nly race, and as the gods

Revered, like them to live, like them to die!

Antigone

English (Sir Richard Jebb2, 1904) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Sir Richard Jebb2, 1904)) — 806-880 focus

Antigone

Citizens of my fatherland, see me setting out on my last journey, looking at my last sunlight,

and never again. No, Hades who lays all to rest leads me living to Acheron ’s shore, though I have not had my due portion of the chant that brings the bride, nor has any hymn been mine
810

for the crowning of marriage. Instead the lord of Acheron will be my groom.
815

817

Chorus

Then in glory and with praise you depart to that deep place of the dead, neither struck by wasting sickness,

nor having won the wages of the sword. No, guided by your own laws and still alive, unlike any mortal before, you will descend to Hades.
820

823

Antigone

I have heard with my own ears how our Phrygian guest, the daughter of Tantalus, perished

in so much suffering on steep Sipylus—how, like clinging ivy, the sprouting stone subdued her. And the rains, as men tell, do not leave her melting form, nor does the snow,
825

but beneath her weeping lids she dampens her collar. Most like hers is the god-sent fate that leads me to my rest.
830

834

Chorus

Yet she was a goddess, as you know, and the offspring of gods,

while we are mortals and mortal-born. Still it is a great thing for a woman who has died to have it said of her that she shared the lot of the godlike in her life, and afterwards, in death.
835

839

Antigone

Ah, you mock me! In the name of our fathers’ gods,

why do you not wait to abuse me until after I have gone, and not to my face, O my city, and you, her wealthy citizens? Ah, spring of Dirce, and you holy ground of Thebes whose chariots are many,
840

you, at least, will bear me witness how unwept by loved ones, and by what laws I go to the rock-closed prison of my unheard-of tomb! Ah, misery!
845

I have no home among men or with the shades, no home with the living or with the dead.
850

853

Chorus

You have rushed headlong to the far limits of daring, and against the high throne of Justice

you have fallen, my daughter, fallen heavily. But in this ordeal you are paying for some paternal crime.
855

858

Antigone

You have touched on my most bitter thought

and moved my ever-renewed pity for my father and for the entire doom ordained for us, the famed house of Labdacus. Oh, the horrors of our mother’s bed! Oh, the slumbers of the wretched mother at the side
860

of her own son, my own father! What manner of parents gave me my miserable being! It is to them that I go like this, accursed and unwed, to share their home.
865

Ah, my brother, the marriage you made was doomed, and by dying you killed me still alive!
870

872

Chorus

Your pious action shows a certain reverence, but an offence against power can no way be tolerated by him who has power in his keeping.

Your self-willed disposition is what has destroyed you.
875

876

Antigone

Unwept, unfriended, without marriage-song, I am led in misery on this journey that cannot be put off. No longer is it permitted me, unhappy girl,

to look up at this sacred eye of the burning sun. But for my fate no tear is shed, no friend moans in sorrow.
880

Commentary

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

mvp-comment-255-1 τῶν κάτω θεῶν ¹ ξύνοικος ² τοιούσδ’ … ὥρισεν ³ οἳ τούσδ’ … ὥρισαν ⁴ τάδε ⁵

mvp-comment-256-1 ἄγραπτα … νόμιμα ⁶

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 ⁷

mvp-comment-256-3 ἀσφαλῆ ⁸

mvp-comment-256-4 θνητὸν ὄντ’ ⁹

mvp-comment-256-5 ὑπερδραμεῖν ¹⁰

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

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.

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Antigone

Current edition Experimental

ἀλλὰ θεός τοι καὶ θεογεννής· ἡμεῖς δὲ βροτοὶ καὶ θνητογενεῖς. καίτοι φθιμένᾳ μέγ᾽ ἀκοῦσαι, τοῖσιν 1 ἰσοθέοις ἔγκληρα λαχεῖν.

Ἀντιγόνη c

Χορός ἀλλὰ θεός τοι καὶ θεογεννής, ἡμεῖς δὲ βροτοὶ καὶ θνητογενεῖς· καίτοι φθιμένῳ τοῖς ἰσοθέοις 805 ἔγκληρα λαχεῖν, μέγ᾽ ἀκοῦσαι.

Ἀντιγόνη 2

ἀλλὰ θεός τοι καὶ θεογεννὴς, ἡμεῖς δὲ βροτοὶ καὶ θνητογενεῖς · καί σοι φθιμένᾳ μέγ᾽ ἀκοῦσαι, τοῖς ἰσοθέοις ἔγκληρα λαχεῖν.

Ἀντιγόνη 3

ἀλλὰ θεός τοι καὶ θεογεννής, ἡμεῖς δὲ βροτοὶ καὶ θνητογενεῖς. 835 †καίτοι φθιμένῳ μέγ᾽ ἀκοῦσαι τοῖς ἰσοθέοις ἔγκληρα λαχεῖν [ζῶσαν καὶ ἔπειτα θανοῦσαν.]

Ἀντιγόνη β

ἀλλὰ θεός τοι καὶ θεογεννής, ἡμεῖς δὲ βροτοὶ καὶ θνητογενεῖς. 835 καίτοι φθιμένᾳ μέγα κἀκοῦσαι τοῖς ἰσοθέοις σύγκληρα λαχεῖν ζῶσαν καὶ ἔπειτα θανοῦσαν.

Ἀντιγόνη 2

ἀλλὰ θεός τοι καὶ θεογεννής, ἡμεῖς δὲ βροτοὶ καὶ θνητογενεῖς. 835 καίτοι φθιμένῃ μέγ α κἀκοῦσαι τοῖς ἰσοθέοις σύγκληρα λαχεῖν ζῶσαν καὶ ἔπειτα θανοῦσαν.

Ἀντιγόνη 2

ἀλλὰ θεός τοι καὶ θεογεννής, ἡμεῖς δὲ βροτοὶ καὶ θνητογενεῖς· 835 καίτοι φθιμένηι μέγα κἀκοῦσαι τοῖς ἰσοθέοις σύγκληρα λαχεῖν ζῶσαν καὶ ἔπειτα θανοῦσαν. 3

Ἀντιγόνη

ἀλλὰ θεός τοι καὶ θεογεννής· ἡμεῖς δὲ βροτοὶ καὶ θνητογενεῖς. καίτοι φθιμένῳ τοῖς ἰσοθέοις 830 ἔγκληρα λαχεῖν μέγ᾽ ἀκοῦσαι.

Ἀντιγόνη 1

ἀλλὰ θεός τοι καὶ θεογεννής, ἡμεῖς δὲ βροτοὶ καὶ θνητογενεῖς. 835 καίτοι φθιμένῃ μέγα κἀκοῦσαι τοῖς ἰσοθέοις σύγκληρα λαχεῖν ζῶσαν καὶ ἔπειτα θανοῦσαν.

Ἀντιγόνη 2

ἀλλὰ θεός τοι καὶ θεογεννής, ἡμεῖς δὲ βροτοὶ καὶ θνατογενεῖς, 835 καίτοι φθιμένᾳ μέγα κἀκοῦσαι τοῖς ἰσοθέοις σύγκληρα λαχεῖν ζῶσαν καὶ ἔπειτα θανοῦσαν.

Ἀντιγόνη

ἀλλὰ θεός τοι καὶ θεογεννής, ἡμεῖς δὲ βροτοὶ καὶ θνητογενεῖς. 835 καίτοι φθιμέναι μέγα κἀκοῦσαι τοῖς ἰσοθέοις σύγκληρα λαχεῖν ζῶσαν καὶ ἔπειτα θανοῦσαν.

Ἀντιγόνη

CHOR. Doch Göttin ist sie, von der Götter Geschlecht, wir Sterbliche nur, aus irdischem Stamm: wie groſs ist der Ruhm, Gottgleicher Geschick 805 hinscheidend zu theilen im Grabe!

ANTIGONE. Str. 2.

ANTIGONA

Ah! now myself am carried past the bound Of law, nor can I check the rising tear, 835 When I behold Antigone even here Touching the quiet bourne where all must rest.

ANT Enter ANTIGONE guarded.

Ja, sie war Göttin, göttlichen Stamms, 1 Wir Sterbliche nur und von Menschen gezeugt: Doch groß ist der Ruhm, mit Göttergeschlecht Das Geschick im Tode zu theilen. Dritte Strophe.

Antigone.

A goddess she, and from a goddess sprung ; We are but mortal, and of mortals born : 835 To meet the fate of gods thus in thy life, A.nd in thy death, oh ! 'tis a glorious doom !

Antigone

Estrofa 2.a

ANTÍGONA

CHOR Doch heilig gesprochen, heilig gezeuget Ist die, wir aber Erd’ und irdisch gezeuget. Vergehst du gleich, doch ist ein Grofses, zu hören, Du habst, Gott gleichen gleich, empfangen ein Loos, 865 Lebendig und dann gestorben.

Antigone 2

She was divine, and sprung from race divine; But we are mortal, and of mortals born. 835 For thee how glorious then to share like fate With those of heav'nly race, and as the gods Revered, like them to live, like them to die!

Antigone

Chorus Then in glory and with praise you depart to that deep place of the dead, neither struck by wasting sickness, nor having won the wages of the sword. No, guided by your own laws and still alive, unlike any mortal before, you will descend to Hades. 820

Chorus Yet she was a goddess, as you know, and the offspring of gods, while we are mortals and mortal-born. Still it is a great thing for a woman who has died to have it said of her that she shared the lot of the godlike in her life, and afterwards, in death. 835

Chorus You have rushed headlong to the far limits of daring, and against the high throne of Justice you have fallen, my daughter, fallen heavily. But in this ordeal you are paying for some paternal crime. 855

Chorus Your pious action shows a certain reverence, but an offence against power can no way be tolerated by him who has power in his keeping. Your self-willed disposition is what has destroyed you. 875

Antigone Unwept, unfriended, without marriage-song, I am led in misery on this journey that cannot be put off. No longer is it permitted me, unhappy girl, to look up at this sacred eye of the burning sun. But for my fate no tear is shed, no friend moans in sorrow. 880

Commentary

Stable identifiers

ἀλλὰ θεός τοι καὶ θεογεννής·

ἡμεῖς δὲ βροτοὶ καὶ θνητογενεῖς.

καίτοι φθιμένᾳ μέγ᾽ ἀκοῦσαι,

τοῖσιν ¹ ἰσοθέοις ἔγκληρα λαχεῖν.

Ἀντιγόνη

c

Χορός

ἀλλὰ θεός τοι καὶ θεογεννής,

ἡμεῖς δὲ βροτοὶ καὶ θνητογενεῖς·

καίτοι φθιμένῳ τοῖς ἰσοθέοις
805

ἔγκληρα λαχεῖν, μέγ᾽ ἀκοῦσαι.

Ἀντιγόνη

2

ἀλλὰ θεός τοι καὶ θεογεννὴς,

ἡμεῖς δὲ βροτοὶ καὶ θνητογενεῖς ·

καί σοι φθιμένᾳ μέγ᾽ ἀκοῦσαι,

τοῖς ἰσοθέοις ἔγκληρα λαχεῖν.

Ἀντιγόνη

3

Ἀντιγόνη
β

ἀλλὰ θεός τοι καὶ θεογεννής,

ἡμεῖς δὲ βροτοὶ καὶ θνητογενεῖς.
835

καίτοι φθιμένᾳ μέγα κἀκοῦσαι

τοῖς ἰσοθέοις σύγκληρα λαχεῖν

ζῶσαν καὶ ἔπειτα θανοῦσαν.

Ἀντιγόνη
2

ἀλλὰ θεός τοι καὶ θεογεννής,

ἡμεῖς δὲ βροτοὶ καὶ θνητογενεῖς.
835

καίτοι φθιμένῃ μέγ α κἀκοῦσαι

τοῖς ἰσοθέοις σύγκληρα λαχεῖν

ζῶσαν καὶ ἔπειτα θανοῦσαν.

Ἀντιγόνη
2

ἀλλὰ θεός τοι καὶ θεογεννής·

ἡμεῖς δὲ βροτοὶ καὶ θνητογενεῖς.

καίτοι φθιμένῳ τοῖς ἰσοθέοις
830

ἔγκληρα λαχεῖν μέγ᾽ ἀκοῦσαι.

Ἀντιγόνη

1

ἀλλὰ θεός τοι καὶ θεογεννής,

ἡμεῖς δὲ βροτοὶ καὶ θνητογενεῖς.
835

καίτοι φθιμένῃ μέγα κἀκοῦσαι

τοῖς ἰσοθέοις σύγκληρα λαχεῖν

ζῶσαν καὶ ἔπειτα θανοῦσαν.

Ἀντιγόνη
2

ἀλλὰ θεός τοι καὶ θεογεννής,

ἡμεῖς δὲ βροτοὶ καὶ θνατογενεῖς,
835

καίτοι φθιμένᾳ μέγα κἀκοῦσαι

τοῖς ἰσοθέοις σύγκληρα λαχεῖν

ζῶσαν καὶ ἔπειτα θανοῦσαν.

ἀλλὰ θεός τοι καὶ θεογεννής,

ἡμεῖς δὲ βροτοὶ καὶ θνητογενεῖς.
835

καίτοι φθιμέναι μέγα κἀκοῦσαι

τοῖς ἰσοθέοις σύγκληρα λαχεῖν

ζῶσαν καὶ ἔπειτα θανοῦσαν.

CHOR.

Doch Göttin ist sie, von der Götter Geschlecht,

wir Sterbliche nur, aus irdischem Stamm:

wie groſs ist der Ruhm, Gottgleicher Geschick
805

hinscheidend zu theilen im Grabe!

ANTIGONE.
Str. 2.

Ah! now myself am carried past the bound

Of law, nor can I check the rising tear,
835

When I behold Antigone even here

Touching the quiet bourne where all must rest.

ANT
Enter ANTIGONE guarded.

Ja, sie war Göttin, göttlichen Stamms,¹

Wir Sterbliche nur und von Menschen gezeugt:

Doch groß ist der Ruhm, mit Göttergeschlecht

Das Geschick im Tode zu theilen.

Dritte Strophe.

A goddess she, and from a goddess sprung ;

We are but mortal, and of mortals born :
835

To meet the fate of gods thus in thy life,

A.nd in thy death, oh ! 'tis a glorious doom !

CHOR

Doch heilig gesprochen, heilig gezeuget

Ist die, wir aber Erd’ und irdisch gezeuget.

Vergehst du gleich, doch ist ein Grofses, zu hören,

Du habst, Gott gleichen gleich, empfangen ein Loos,
865

Lebendig und dann gestorben.

Antigone

2

She was divine, and sprung from race divine;

But we are mortal, and of mortals born.
835

For thee how glorious then to share like fate

With those of heav'nly race, and as the gods

Revered, like them to live, like them to die!

Chorus

Then in glory and with praise you depart to that deep place of the dead, neither struck by wasting sickness,

nor having won the wages of the sword. No, guided by your own laws and still alive, unlike any mortal before, you will descend to Hades.
820

Chorus

Yet she was a goddess, as you know, and the offspring of gods,

while we are mortals and mortal-born. Still it is a great thing for a woman who has died to have it said of her that she shared the lot of the godlike in her life, and afterwards, in death.
835

Chorus

You have rushed headlong to the far limits of daring, and against the high throne of Justice

you have fallen, my daughter, fallen heavily. But in this ordeal you are paying for some paternal crime.
855

Chorus

Your pious action shows a certain reverence, but an offence against power can no way be tolerated by him who has power in his keeping.

Your self-willed disposition is what has destroyed you.
875

Antigone

Unwept, unfriended, without marriage-song, I am led in misery on this journey that cannot be put off. No longer is it permitted me, unhappy girl,

to look up at this sacred eye of the burning sun. But for my fate no tear is shed, no friend moans in sorrow.
880