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Commentary on lines 1201–1350

ἐν νεοσπάσιν θαλλοῖς This probably had a ceremonial importance. Cp. O. C. 466, foll., especially l. 474, θαλλοῖσιν, ἢ κρόκαισιν, ἢ ποίῳ τρόπῳ;

ὃ δὴ λέλειπτο resumes τὸν μέν with greater definiteness, and repeats what is implied in κυνοσπάρακτον. συγκατήθομεν implies that scattered fragments were collected.

For the feeling of οἰκείας, cp. Ο. C. 406, ἢ καὶ κατασκιῶσι Θηβαίᾳ κόνει; 1206-1207. And ere we came near one heard the voice of shrill lamentings in the neighbourhood of the unhallowed cell.'

ἀκτέριστον.. παστάδα The unhallowed vault. Lit. The narrow cell, not consecrated by funeral rites.'

τῷ δ᾽. ἆσσον And as he came nearer, an undistinguishable crying filled his ears. See Essay on Language § 10. p. 17, and for περιβαίνει, cp. Hom. Od. 6. 122, ἀμφήλυθε θήλυς ἀϋτή.

In the phrase άσσον ἕρπειν, To draw near, ἆσσον, which was a rare word in Attic, lost something of the comparative meaning. Hence the double comparative.

δυσθρήνητον Lamentable. For the apparently active use of the verbal, see Essay on Language p. 98.

ἆρ᾽ εἰμὶ μάντις; 'Are my heart's forebodings true?' i.e. Must I believe what my heart is telling me?

τῶν παρελθουσῶν ὁδῶν Cp. О. С. 1397.

σαίνει It has been supposed that this word reverts to its original meaning as a derivative of σείω, being used actively in the sense of To thrill.' But it is more in accordance with analogy to suppose that it has passed through the following changes of meaning: (1) to move frequently: (2) to wag the tail; σαίνειν οὔρῃ: (3) to make signs of recognition, to greet: (4) to touch with a feeling of recognition. See Essay on Language p. 99 (ὄμμα).

In preparing the vault, an opening had been left, through which the victim was thrust into the chamber. This opening was then roughly closed with stones. (1) Through these Haemon had passionately torn his way. And the cleft so made by him is the ἁρμὸς χώματος λιθοσπαδής. Entering within the closure from which the stones have been torn, even to the very mouth of the vault. Or (2), supposing a prolepsis, Pulling out the stones and entering.

ἐξ ἀθύμου δεσπότου κελεύσμασιν On hearing our despairing lord and at his bidding. Cp. supr. l. 957. Haemon, on rushing in, had found Antigone already dead by her own act.

καθημμένην Fastened, sc. to the roof. Those who read καθειμένην must have understood it to mean let down, i.e. suspended. The muslin noose of fine tissue is the maiden's veil, the βύσσινον πέπλωμα of Aesch. S. c. T. 1039.

Lamenting the ruin of his bridal, that was only to be found in death (τῆς κάτω).' λέχος] Bride.

τίνα νοῦν ἔσχες What design possessed you?

ἐν τῷ.. διεφθάρης At what point of calamity did you go mad? Cp. Hom. Il. 15. 128, μαινόμενε, φρένας ἠλέ, διέφθορας: Eur. Hell. 1192, λύπῃ σὰς διέφθαρσαι φρένας;

τόν is governed by πτύσας ('Abhorring,' i.e. expressing abhorrence of, cp. 1. 653) as well as by παπτήνας, ='Glaring wildly upon.' 1232. It is not clear whether Aristotle means to find fault with this when he says that Knowingly to intend evil, and not perform it, is at once abominable and without tragic interest;' διόπερ οὐδεὶς ποιεῖ ὁμοίως, εἰ μὴ ὀλιγάκις, οἷον ἐν Ἀντιγόνῃ τὸν Κρέοντα ὁ Αἵμων, Poet. 1453 b. But he clearly had not anticipated the refinement of the Scholiast and some modern critics, who think that Haemon only meditated suicide, and that his action is misunderstood by the messenger who reports the circumstance. Cp. supr. 751.

ξίφους Seyffert thinks that the Laurentian reading points to βέλους with ξίφους as a gloss. But although the generic word is used in Aj. 658, τόδ' ἔγχος τοὐμόν, ἔχθιστον βελῶν, it would be out of place here.

ξίφους διπλοῦς κνώδοντας Probably, the double-hilted sword.

ἐπενταθείς 'Stretching himself over it, i. e. Falling upon his sword.

He clung to the maiden, enfolding her in his slackening arm. The construction of ἐς .. ἀγκῶνα is as if λαμβάνει, or some such verb, were to follow. 6

ἤρεισε.. μέσσον Drove the blade right into his side. See on O. C. 1595. Essay on Language § 51. p. 85.

πνοήν, which the Scholiast read, is at once a harder reading than ῥοήν, and harmonizes better with the context. And panting hard, he cast on her pale cheek sharp breath of gory dew.' Cp. Aesch. Ag. 1388: Essay on Language § 10. p. 17.

εἰν ῞Αιδου δόμοις The particle γε, which Heath introduced, reading ἔν γ', is defended by Seyffert: Apud inferos saltem, inquit poeta, nactus est Haemon nuptias rite confectas, quarum vivus expers fuit: in complexu tenet mortuam mortuus (v. 1235, sq.). But iv, the reading of L², is supported by the other Epic forms which occur in the play. See Introd., and cp. the Homeric καὶ εἰν Ἀίδαο δόμοισι.

Cp. the silent exit of Jocasta, O. T. 1075, and of Deianira, Tr. 813.

ἐς πόλιν γόους | οὐκ ἀξιώσειν She will not deign to make public lamentation. The ellipse of ποιεῖν or some other general word (cp. 1. 577), or the imperfect construction of γύους with ἀξιώσειν, is made more easy by the introduction of στένειν in what follows.

πένθος is governed at once by προθήσειν and στένειν, and προθήσειν is used as in l. 216,='To appoint as a duty,' with some allusion to the other meaning of To lay out for mourning before burial.

γνώμης In respect of judgment. ἁμαρτάνειν is euphemistic.

ἐμοὶ δ᾽ οὖν Qy. ἔμοιγ' οὖν ? See the accentuation of the MS. reading.

μνῆμ᾽ ἐπίσημον A monument with evident tokens. The blood-stained corpse of Haemon was, as it were, a monument, on which was inscribed the record of the calamitous error of Creon. The metres of the concluding κομμός are as follows. The dochmiac rhythm prevails. a'. First strophe and antistrophe. 1261-1277=1184-1300. ںトトトㄈIトトー Five Iambic trimeters. 5-トリート! トトしに Cトトートトー 10010 レム DI 15 トトーchclcl ―トトートトーつつ 1500 「トトートトートトートトー「トトートca Cトトートトに tu a'. I, may be scanned either as diiambus, cretic, and dochmiac, or as an iambus and 2 dochmiacs; 3, two cretics; 15, dochmiac and iambic tri pody. The first strophe and antistrophe are followed by five iambic trimeters. β'. Second strophe and antistrophe. 1306-1325-1328-1346. トートトートトー (トトートトー 5 トトートトートート The intervention of the Exangelus at 1278, and the ἐκκύκλημα at 1293, are special features, which must have made this commos extraordinarily impressive. The coryphaeus chants 1257 ff., 1347 ff. The four other members of the front row interpose their remarks at intervals.

στερεά may be explained, either with Dindorf, (1) Propter duram et inexorabilem Creontis mentem, = Stubborn, by hypallage for στερεῶν φρενῶν ἁμαρτήματα, or more simply (2) as Pindar speaks of στερεαὶ ὀδυναί, = * Hard to endure.' The first (1) is best.

A confusion of ὤμοι ἐμῶν βουλευμάτων, ὡς ἄνολβα, and ὤμοι ἐγὼ ἄνολβος τῶν ἐμῶν βουλευμάτων. Ε. on L. pp. 17, 67.

νέῳ ξὺν μόρῳ By a strange doom.

ἀπελύθης Thou wast cut off. The word has some something of the notion of Shuffling off this mortal coil. Cp. 559.

θεὸς .. ἔπαισεν A God held and smote me with mighty force. ἔχων is almost pleonastic, and μέγα βάρος adverbial. But there is some difficulty in the construction of ἐν ἐμῷ κάρᾳ with ἔπαισεν. Qy. μέγα βάρος πεσών? As the words stand, the whole expression μέγα .. ἔπαισεν must be taken as = ἐνήλατο.

ἐν δ᾽ ἔσεισεν This use of language (implying 'furious driving') recurs in Plut. Phoc. 23, ἐνσείειν τὴν πόλιν εἰς πόλεμον. A similar expression occurs in El. 737. See also Eur. Or. 255.

λακπάτητον is proleptic. Overturning and trampling upon.' 1277. ὡς is to be construed with ἔοικας ἥκειν, which is postponed to the participle, as in Phil. 971, πρὸς κακῶν δ᾽ ἀνδρῶν μαθὼν ἔοικας ἥκειν αἰσχρά: and the meaning is, O master, how truly thou wouldst seem, having at τέθνηκε Α. once in hand and also in possession, to have come hither bearing one load of evil in thine arms, while there is another burden which thou wilt quickly behold within the palace. The address, ὦ δέσποτα, suggests the words ἔχων τε καὶ κεκτημένος (Creon is lord 'of dire mischance'), in which there is the distinction afterwards adopted in philosophy between ἕξις and κτῆσις.

By an attraction from ἔοικας, ἥκειν ὀψόμενος, or ἥκων ὄψεσθαι, is changed to ἥκειν καὶ ὄψεσθαι. Cp. Ο. Τ. 413.

And what worse evil is there? or what more of evil?' Some would read τί δ᾽ ἔστιν; ἢ κάκιον αὖ κακῶν ἔτι;

παμμήτωρ The royal mother. For this use of παν in composition, see Essay on Language § 55. p. 101; and cp. O. Τ. 930, παντελὴς δάμαρ.

δυσκάθαρτος Ἅιδου λιμήν] O harbour of Hades, hard to cleanse; i. e. Choked with the dead. Cp. Hell has enlarged herself, and opened her mouth without measure.'

What new thing dost thou tell me? that the slaughter of a wife is heaped upon the previous ruin?' ὦ παῖ is probably a corruption of alaî, suggested by the general thought that Creon is lamenting for his son.

The dead body of Eurydice is disclosed by an ἐκκύκλημα. This line is what ancient commentators called παρεπιγραφή, i. e. an implicit stagedirection.

τίς ἄρα .. περιμένει; The same fearful looking for of further woe is still more finely given in the OО. Т. 1456, 7, οὐ γὰρ ἂν | θνήσκων ἐσώθην, μὴ πί τῳ δείνῳ κακ.

ἡ δέ δέ opposes the case of Eurydice to that of Haemon, whose dead body is in the arms of Creon.

ὀξύθηκτος Infuriated (ὀργῇ χρω μένη, Ο. Τ. 1241). Cp. Aesch. S. c. T. 715, τεθηγμένον τοί μ᾽ οὐκ ἀπαμβλυνεῖς λόγῳ. The Scholion, ὀξεῖαν λαβούσα πληγήν, seems to imply a v. τ. ὀξύπληκτος (or ὀξύδηκτος, a vox nihili), which, however, gives a poorer sense.

ἥδε Pointing to the corpse, which has just been rolled into view by the ἐκκύκλημα.

βωμία At, or on the altar,' as in Eur. Suppl. 93, μητέρα γεραίαν βωμίαν ἐφημένην. Cp. Tr. 904, where Deianira, before her suicide, falls on the altar, βωμοῖσι προσπίπτουσα.

†πέριξ, if not spurious, must be explained as an epexegesis of βωμία = περιπετής. No satisfactory emendation has been proposed. Arndt suggested ἡ δ' ὀξυθήκτῳ βωμία περὶ ξίφει. Others, reading πτέρυξ, suppose the Exangelus to display the altar-knife which had given the wound. See L. and S. s. v.

πτέρυξ, 11. 5.

λύει κελαινὰ βλέφαρα Relaxes her darkened eye. λύειν is used here as in λῦσε δὲ γυῖα and the like expressions in Homer. κελαινά might quite well be used proleptically = σκοτεινά = ἐν σκότῳ. But this, like other words of colour in Sophocles, has usually a picturesque force, and here is probably intended to suggest the darkness of passionate grief and despair which oppressed her eyes in their last looks before the final darkness of death.

It has been suggested that the λέχος of Megareus and Haemon is the place which received each of them in death. Euripides speaks of Menoeceus, who flung himself into the serpent's lair, σηκὸν ἐς μελαμβαθῆ δράκοντος δράκοντος (Phoen. 1017), as θαλάμαις .. σφαγέντα VOL. I. 00 (ib. 938 ff.). If Megareus is Menoeceus, as would appear from Aesch. S. c. T. 474 ff., and if the body was left in the deep cavern where it lay. Eurydice may speak of this as at once her son's grave and bride-bed (for he was ἠθεος): and as κλεινόν, because earning him his country's gratitude. And although Haemon was not buried in the cell where he died, the word borrowed from the preceding clause may be less exact in its application to him. Bothe's conj. λάχος is accepted by Dindorf.

λοίσθιον δὲ . . παιδοκτόνῳ And lastly uttering a strain of calamitous import against thee, the slayer of thy children. The expression signifies rather a prophecy than a mere imprecation of woe.

ἀνέπταν φόβῳ I am startled with dread. The metaphor is taken from a frightened bird.

συγκέκραμαι See Essay on Language pp. 102, 105.

τῶνδε κἀκείνων.. μόρων The deaths of Haemon and Megareus.

ἐπεσκήπτου Thou wast accused. The active of ἐπισκήπτω in this sense, although rare, occurs in Plat. Theaet. 145 C, Aesch. c. Timarch. p. 142, and the passive appears again in Plat. Legg. 11. 937 Β, ἐὰν ἐπισκηφθῇ τὰ ψευδή μαρτυρῆσαι. vom. p. m. Vat. 1328. KP. om. Vat. 1329. μόρων L. μώρων C1. 1330.

κἀπελύσατο The aorist has a distinctly middle force, different from ἀπελύθης above, l. 1268 . 'How did she effect her own release in bloody death? This verse may possibly have been spoken by the chorus. It somewhat breaks the flow of Creon's passion.

ὀξυκώκυτον She heard not only the words of the messenger (1. 1183), but the cry which was raised in the house, after they had been spoken. This must be supposed to have followed l. 1175.

ἐμᾶς .. ἐξ αἰτίας Away from blame to me; i.e. So as to exonerate ταῦτα] τ with gl. ταῦτα Α. me. Cp. 1. 614.

ἢ μηδένα i.e. ἢ τὸν μὴ ὄντα. Ср. О. Т. 1019, and note.

κέρδη παραινεῖς Viz. in saying ἄγετέ μ' ἐκποδών, Cp. Ο. Τ. 1512. For the plural κέρδη, cp. О. С. 92, Phil. 921.

A general aphorism.

κάλλιστα The adverb is emphatic, and has the force of a predicate. Let that last doom appear, which of all coming upon me has the highest glory of bringing me the end of days. Not one doom but many have fallen upon Creon. But of all that can come upon him, death is the lightest and the best.

ἆμαρ ἀλλ᾿ L.

εἰσίδω ἐσίδω Vat. α ἐξ Vat.

ὅτοισι χρὴ μέλειν The Fates and the Gods below.

The middle voice of ἐράω is known to exist (L. and S. s. v.), and may have been used by Sophocles with a pathetic force. Essay on Language § 31. p. 52. This seems more probable than retaining μέν from the later MSS, which has no force, or reading τοιαῦτα or γ' ἅπαντα for ταῦτα. ἐρῶμεν, plur. for sing., can hardly stand with the singular following in the same line.

συγκατηυξάμην 'I summed up in my prayer.

The rationalism of the day ap. pears in this advice of the chorus, as afterwards in the impiety of Jocasta.

σε τ᾿ αὐτάν It is unnecessary to change αὐτάν, which has a natural and pathetic emphasis. He has been the death even of the mother as well as of the son, αὐτήν τε κατέκτεινε καὶ τὸν παῖδα.

πρὸς πότερον ἴδω i. e. Whether at Haemon or Eurydice. The words that follow are suggested by the general notion of distraction which is here expressed. The words in L etc.

παῖ καὶ θῶ (= 'Which way also I shall order them'), are clearly a corruption of πᾷ κλιθῶ, which, however, was probably a gloss. For if πάντα γάρ is dropped instead, the asyndeton of λέχρια, κ.τ.λ., is very harsh.

* πάντα γὰρ.. εἰσήλατο For all that I am engaged with is ready to fall, while from above a destiny hard to be borne has leapt upon my head. The opposition is not between Haemon and Eurydice (Dindorf), nor between present and future (Seyffert), but between the visible circumstances and the invisible hand of fate. λέχριος is used metaphorically. (See Essay on Language p. 105.) Creon cannot bear the misery that surrounds him, and he cannot look up because of the heavy weight of destiny impending over him.

Antigone. Lewis Campbell. ed. Lewis Campbell. Oxford. 1879.

Current edition Experimental

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

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Editions (12)

Greek (L. Benloew, 1858) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (L. Benloew, 1858)) — 1219 focus

τάδ᾽ ¹ ἐξ ἀθύμου δεσπότου κελεύσμασιν

ἠθροῦμεν· ἐν δὲ λοισθίῳ τυμβεύματι

τὴν μὲν, κρεμαστὴν αὐχένος, κατείδομεν

βρόχῳ μιτώδει σινδόνος ² καθημμένην·
1215

τὸν δ᾽, ἀμφὶ μέσσῃ περιπετῆ προσκείμενον,

εὐνῆς ἀποιμώζοντα τῆς κάτω φθορὰν,

καὶ πατρὸς ἔργα, καὶ τὸ δύστηνον λέχος.

ὁ δ᾽ ὡς ὁρᾷ σφε, στυγνὸν οἰμώξας, ἔσω

χωρεῖ πρὸς αὐτὸν, κἀνακωκύσας καλεῖ·
1220

« ὦ τλῆμον, οἷον ἔργον εἴργασαι; τίνα

« νοῦν ἔσχες; ἐν τῷ ξυμφορᾶς διεφθάρης ;

« ἔξελθε, τέκνον· ἱκέσιός σε λίσσομαι».

τὸν δ᾽ ἀγρίοις ὄσσοισι παπτήνας ὁ παῖς,

πτύσας προσώπῳ, κοὐδὲν ἀντειπὼν, ξίφους
1225

ἕλκει διπλοῦς κνώδοντας· ἐκ δ᾽ ὁρμωμένου

πατρὸς φυγαῖσιν, ἤμπλακ᾽· εἶθ᾽ ὁ δύσμορος

αὑτῷ χολωθεὶς, ὥσπερ εἶχ᾽, ἐπενταθεὶς

ἤρεισε πλευραῖς μέσσον ἔγχος, ἐς δ᾽ ὑγρὸν

ἀγκῶν᾽ ἔτ᾽ ἔμφρων παρθένον προσπτύσσεται·
1230

καὶ φυσιῶν ὀξεῖαν ἐκβάλλει πνοὴν

λευκῇ ³ παρειᾷ φοινίου σταλάγματος.

κεῖται δὲ νεκρὸς περὶ νεκρῷ, τὰ νυμφικὰ

τέλη λαχὼν δείλαιος εἰν ᾍδου δόμοις,

δείξας ἐν ἀνθρώποισι τὴν ἀβουλίαν,
1235

ὅσῳ μέγιστον ἀνδρὶ πρόσκειται κακόν.

Χορός

τί τοῦτ᾽ ἂν εἰκάσειας; ἢ γυνὴ πάλιν

φρούδη, πρὶν εἰπεῖν ἐσθλὸν ἢ κακὸν λόγον.

Ἄγγελος

καὐτὸς τεθάμβηκ᾽· ἐλπίσιν δὲ βόσκομαι,

ἄχη τέκνου κλύουσαν, ἐς πόλιν γόους
1240

οὐκ ⁴ ἀξιώσειν, ἀλλ᾽ ὑπὸ στέγης ἔσω

δμωαῖς προθήσειν πένθος οἰκεῖον στένειν.

γνώμης γὰρ οὐκ ἄπειρος, ὥσθ᾽ ἁμαρτάνειν.

Χορός

οὐκ οἶδ᾽· ἔμοι γ᾽ οὖν ἥ τ᾽ ἄγαν σιγὴ βαρὺ

δοκεῖ προσεῖναι, χἡ μάτην πολλὴ βοή.
1245

Ἄγγελος

ἀλλ᾽ εἰσόμεσθα μή τι καὶ κατάσχετον

κρυφῆ καλύπτει καρδίᾳ θυμουμένη,

δόμους παραστείχοντες· εὖ γὰρ οὖν λέγεις.

καὶ τῆς ἄγαν γάρ ἐστί που σιγῆς βάρος.

Χορός

καὶ μὴν ὅδ᾽ ἄναξ αὐτὸς ἐφήκει
1250

μνῆμ᾽ ἐπίσημον διὰ χειρὸς ἔχων,

εἰ θέμις εἰπεῖν, οὐκ ἀλλοτρίαν

ἄτην, ἀλλ᾽ αὐτὸς ἁμαρτών.

Κρέων

a

ἰὼ φρενῶν δυσφρόνων ἁμαρτήματα

στερεὰ, θανατόεντ᾽.
1255

ἰὼ κτανόντας τε καὶ

θανόντας βλέποντες ἐμφυλίους·

ὦ μοι ἐμῶν ἄνολβα βουλευμάτων ·

ἰὼ, παῖ, νέος νέῳ ξὺν μόρῳ,

αἰαῖ, αἰαῖ,
1260

ἔθανες, ἀπελύθης,

ἐμαῖς, οὐδὲ σαῖσι δυσβουλίαις.

Χορός

οἴμ᾽, ὡς ἔοικας ὀψὲ τὴν δίκην ἰδεῖν.

Κρέων

b

οἴμοι.

ἔχω μαθὼν δείλαιος· ἐν δ᾽ ἐμῷ κάρᾳ
1265

θεὸς τότ᾽ ἄρα τότε μέγα βάρος μ᾽ ἔχων

ἔπαισεν, ἐν δ᾽ ἔσεισεν ἀγρίαις ὁδοῖς,

οἴμοι, λαξπάτητον ἀντρέπων χαράν.

φεῦ, φεῦ.

ὦ πόνοι βροτῶν δύσπονοι.
1270

Ἐξάγγελος

ὦ δέσποθ᾽, ὡς ἔχων τε καὶ κεκτημένος,

τὰ μὲν πρὸ χειρῶν τάδε ⁵ φέρων, τὰ δ᾽ ἐν δόμοις

ἔοικας ἥκειν καὶ τάχ᾽ ὄψεσθαι κακά.

Κρέων

τί δ᾽ ἔστιν αὖ κάκιον ἐκ κακῶν ἔτι;

Ἐξάγγελος

γυνὴ τέθνηκε, τοῦδε ⁶ παμμήτωρ νεκροῦ,
1275

δύστηνος, ἄρτι νεοτόμοισι πλήγμασιν.

Κρέων

a

ἰὼ δυσκάθαρτος ᾍδου λιμὴν,

τί μ᾽ ἄρα, τί μ᾽ ὀλέκεις ;

ὦ κακάγγελτά μοι

προπέμψας ἄχη, τίνα θροεῖς λόγον ;
1280

αἰαῖ, ὀλωλότ᾽ ἄνδρ᾽ ἐπεξειργάσω.

τί φὴς, τίνα λέγεις νέον μοι λόγον,

αἰαῖ, αἰαῖ,

σφάγιον ἐπ᾽ ὀλέθρῳ ⁷

γυναικεῖον ἀμφικεῖσθαι μόρον;
1285

Ἐξάγγελος

ὁρᾷν πάρεστιν. οὐ γὰρ ἐν μυχοῖς ἔτι.

Κρέων

b

οἴμοι,

κακὸν τόδ᾽ ἄλλο δεύτερον βλέπω τάλας.

τίς ἄρα, τίς με πότμος ἔτι περιμένει;

ἔχω μὲν ἐν χείρεσσιν ἀρτίως τέκνον,
1290

τάλας, τὸν δ᾽ ἔναντα προσβλέπω νεκρόν.

φεῦ, φεῦ,

μᾶτερ ἀθλία, φεῦ, τέκνον.

Ἐξάγγελος

ἡ δ᾽ ὀξύθηκτος ἥδε ⁸ βωμία πέριξ

λύει ⁹ κελαινὰ βλέφαρα, κωκύσασα μὲν
1295

τοῦ πρὶν θανόντος ¹⁰ Μεγαρέως κλεινὸν λάχος,

αὖθις δὲ τοῦδε, λοίσθιον δὲ σοὶ κακὰς

πράξεις ἐφυμνήσασα τῷ παιδοκτόνῳ.

Κρέων

c

αἰαῖ, αἰαῖ.

ἀνέπταν φόβῳ. τί μ᾽ οὐκ ἀνταίαν
1300

ἔπαισέν τις ἀμφιθήκτῳ ξίφει;

δείλαιος ἐγὼ, αἰαῖ·

δειλαίᾳ δὲ συγκέκραμαι δύᾳ.

Ἐξάγγελος

ὥς αἰτίαν γε τῶνδε κἀκείνων ἔχων

πρὸς τῆς θανούσης τῆσδ᾽ ἐπεσκήπτου μόρων.
1305

Κρέων

ποίῳ δὲ κἀπελύσατ᾽ ἐν φοναῖς τρόπῳ;

Ἐξάγγελος

παίσασ᾽ ὑφ᾽ ἧπαρ αὐτόχειρ αὑτὴν, ὅπως

παιδὸς τόδ᾽ ἤσθετ᾽ ὀξυκώκυτον πάθος.

Κρέων

d

ὦ μοί μοι¹¹, τάδ᾽ οὐκ ἐπ᾽ ἄλλον βροτῶν

ἐμᾶς ἁρμόσει ποτ᾽ ἐξ αἰτίας.
1310

ἐγὼ γάρ σ᾽, ἐγὼ ἔκανον ὁ μέλεος,

ἐγώ· φάμ᾽ ἔτυμον.

ἰὼ πρόσπολοι,

ἄγετέ μ᾽ ὅτι τάχος ἄγετέ μ’ ἐκποδὼν,
1315

τὸν οὐκ ὄντα μᾶλλον ἣ μηδένα.

Χορός

κέρδη παραινεῖς, εἴ τι κέρδος ἐν κακοῖς·

βράχιστα γὰρ κράτιστα τἀν ποσὶν κακά.

Κρέων

c

ἴτω, ἴτω,

φανήτω μόρων ὁ κάλλιστ᾽ ἐμῶν
1320

μοὶ τερμίαν ἄγων ἁμέραν

ὕπατος· ἴτω, ἴτω,

ὅπως μηκέτ᾽ ἆμαρ ἄλλ᾽ εἰσίδω.

Ἐξάγγελος

μέλλοντα ταῦτα. τῶν προκειμένων τι χρὴ

πράσσειν. μέλει γὰρ τῶνδ᾽ ¹² ὅτοισι χρὴ μέλειν.
1325

Κρέων

ἀλλ᾽ ὧν ἐρῶ μὲν, ταῦτα συγκατευξάμην.

Ἐξάγγελος

μὴ νῦν προσεύχου μηδέν· ὡς πεπρωμένης

οὐκ ἔστι θνητοῖς ξυμφορᾶς ἀπαλλαγή.

Κρέων

d

ἄγοιτ᾽ ἂν μάταιον ἄνδρ᾽ ἐκποδὼν,

ὃς, ὦ παῖ, σέ τ᾽ οὐχ ἑκὼν κατέχανον,
1330

σέ τ᾽ αὐτάν. ὦ μοι μέλεος, οὐδ᾽ ἔχω

ὅπα πρὸς πότερον

ἴδω, πᾶ καὶ θῶ.

πάντα γὰρ

λέχρια τἀν χεροῖν ¹³· τάδ᾽ ἐπὶ κρατί μοι
1335

πότμος δυσκόμιστος εἰσήλατο.

Χορός

πολλῷ ¹⁴ τὸ φρονεῖν εὐδαιμονίας

πρῶτον ὑπάρχει· χρὴ δὲ τά γ᾽ ἐς θεοὺς

μηδὲν ἀσεπτεῖν ¹⁵· μεγάλοι δὲ λόγοι

μεγάλας πληγὰς τῶν ὑπεραύχων
1340

ἀποτίσαντες,

γήρᾳ τὸ φρονεῖν ἐδίδαξαν ¹⁶.

Greek (A. Boeckh, 1884) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (A. Boeckh, 1884)) — 1219 focus

τάδ᾽ ἐξ ἀθύμου δεσπότου κελεύσμασιν

ἠθροῦμεν· ἐν δὲ λοισθίῳ τυμβεύματι

τὴν μὲν κρεμαστὴν αὐχένος κατείδομεν,

βρόχῳ μιτώδει σινδόνος καθημμένην,
1165

τὸν δ᾽ ἀμφὶ μέσσῃ περιπετῆ προσκείμενον,

εὐνῆς ἀποιμώζοντα τῆς κάτω φθοράν,

καὶ πατρὸς ἔργα, καὶ τὸ δύστηνον λέχος.

ὁ δ᾽ ὡς ὁρᾷ σφε, στυγνὸν οἰμώξας ἔσω

χωρεῖ πρὸς αὐτόν, κἀνακωκύσας καλεῖ·
1170

ὦ τλῆμον, οἷον ἔργον εἴργασαι; τίνα

νοῦν ἔσχες; ἐν τῷ ξυμφορᾶς διεφθάρης;

ἔξελθε, τέκνον· ἱκέσιός σε λίσσομαι.

τὸν δ᾽ ἀγρίοις ὄσσοισι παπτήνας ὁ παῖς,

πτύσας προσώπῳ κοὐδὲν ἀντειπών, ξίφους
1175

ἕλκει διπλοῦς κνώδοντας, ἐκ δ᾽ ὁρμωμένου

πατρὸς φυγαῖσιν ἤμπλακ᾽ · εἶθ' ὁ δύσμορος

αὑτῷ χολωθείς, ὥσπερ εἶχ᾽, ἐπενταθεὶς

ἤρεισε πλευραῖς μέσσον ἔγχος, ἐς δ᾽ ὑγρὸν

ἀγκῶν᾽ ἔτ᾽ ἔμφρων παρθένῳ προσπτύσσεται·
1180

καὶ φυσιῶν ὀξεῖαν ἐκβάλλει πνοὴν

λευκῇ παρειᾷ φοινίου σταλάγματος.

κεῖται δὲ νεκρὸς περὶ νεκρῷ, τὰ νυμφικὰ

τέλη λαχὼν δείλαιος εἰν Ἅιδου δόμοις,

δείξας ἐν ἀνθρώποισι τὴν ἀβουλίαν,
1185

ὅσῳ μέγιστον ἀνδρὶ πρόσκειται κακόν.

Χορός

τί τοῦτ᾽ ἂν εἰκάσειας; ἡ γυνὴ πάλιν

φρούδη, πρὶν εἰπεῖν ἐσθλὸν ἢ κακὸν λόγον.

Ἄγγελος

καὐτὸς τεθάμβηκ᾽, ἐλπίσιν δὲ βόσκομαι

ἄχη τέκνου κλύουσαν ἐς πόλιν γόους
1190

οὐκ ἀξιώσειν, ἀλλ᾽ ὑπὸ στέγης ἔσω

δμωαῖς προθήσειν πένθος οἰκεῖον στένειν.

γνώμης γὰρ οὐκ ἄπειρος, ὥσθ' ἁμαρτάνειν.

Χορός

οὐκ οἶδ᾽· ἐμοὶ δ᾽ οὖν ἥ τ’ ἄγαν σιγὴ βαρὺ

δοκεῖ προσεῖναι χἠ μάτην πολλὴ βοή.
1195

Ἄγγελος

ἀλλ᾽ εἰσόμεσθα, μή τι καὶ κατάσχετον

κρυφῇ καλύπτει καρδίᾳ θυμουμένῃ,

δόμους παραστείχοντες. εὖ γὰρ οὖν λέγεις·

καὶ τῆς ἄγαν γάρ ἐστί που σιγῆς βάρος.

Χορός

καὶ μὴν ὅδ᾽ ἄναξ αὐτὸς ἐφήκει
1200

μνῆμ᾽ ἐπίσημον διὰ χειρὸς ἔχων,

εἰ θέμις εἰπεῖν, οὐκ ἀλλοτρίαν

ἄτην, ἀλλ᾽ αὐτὸς ἁμαρτών.

Κρέων

ἰὼ

φρενῶν δυσρφρόνων ἁμαρτήματα
1205

στερεά, θανατόεντ᾽ · ὦ κτανόντας τε καὶ

θανόντας βλέποντες ἐμφυλίους.

ὤ μοι ἐμῶν ἄνολβα βουλευμάτων.

ἰὼ παῖ, νέος νέῳ ξὺν μόρῳ,

αἰαῖ, αἰαῖ,
1210

ἔθανες, ἀπελύθης ἐμαῖς, οὐδὲ σαῖσι δυσβουλίαις.

Χορός

οἴμ᾽, ὡς ἔοικας ὀψὲ τὴν δίκην ἰδεῖν.

Κρέων

οἴμοι,

ἔχω μαθὼν δείλαιος· ἐν δ᾽ ἐμῷ κάρᾳ

θεὸς τότ᾽ ἄρα τότε μέγα βάρος μ᾽ ἔχων
1215

ἔπαισεν, ἐν δ᾽ ἔσεισεν ἀγρίαις ὁδοῖς,

οἴμοι, λακπάτητον ἀντρέπων χαράν.

φεῦ φεῦ, ὦ πόνοι βροτῶν δύσπονοι.

Ἐξάγγελος

ὦ δέσποθ᾽, ὡς ἔχων τε καὶ κεκτημένος,

τὰ μὲν πρὸ χειρῶν τάδε φέρων, τὰ δ᾽ ἐν δόμοις
1220

ἔοικας ἥκειν καὶ τάχ᾽ ὄψεσθαι κακά.

Κρέων

τί δ᾽ ἔστιν αὖ κάκιον, ἢ κακῶν ἔτι;

Ἐξάγγελος

γυνὴ τέθνηκε, τοῦδε παμμήτωρ νεκροῦ,

δύστηνος, ἄρτι νεοτόμοισι πλήγμασιν.

Κρέων

1

ἰὼ
1225

ἰὼ δυσκάθαρτος Ἅιδου λιμήν,

τί μ᾽ ἄρα, τί μ᾽ ὀλέκεις; ὦ κακάγγελτά μοι

προπέμψας ἄχη, τίνα θροεῖς λόγον;

αἰαῖ, ὀλωλότ᾽ ἄνδρ᾽ ἐπεξειργάσω.

τί φής, ὦ παῖ, τίνα λέγεις μοι νέον,
1230

αἰαῖ, αἰαῖ,

σφάγιον ἐπ' ὀλέθρῳ γυναικεῖον ἀμφικεῖσθαι μόρον;

Χορός

ὁρᾶν πάρεστιν· οὐ γὰρ ἐν μυχοῖς ἔτι.

Κρέων

2

οἴμοι,

κακὸν τόδ᾽ ἄλλο δεύτερον βλέπω τάλας.
1235

τίς ἄρα, τίς με πότμος ἔτι περιμένει;

ἔχω μὲν ἐν χείρεσσιν ἀρτίως τέκνον,

τάλας, τὸν δ᾽ ἔναντα προσβλέπω νεκρόν.

φεῦ φεῦ μᾶτερ ἀθλία, φεῦ τέκνον.

Ἐξάγγελος

ἡ δ᾽ ὀξύθηκτος ἥδε βωμία πέριξ
1240

λύει κελαινὰ βλέφαρα, κωκύσασα μὲν

τοῦ πρὶν θανόντος Μεγαρέως κλεινὸν λάχος,

αὖθις δὲ τοῦδε· λοίσθιον δὲ σοὶ κακὰς

πράξεις ἐφυμνήσασα τῷ παιδοκτόνῳ.

Κρέων

3

αἰαῖ, αἰαῖ,
1245

ἀνέπταν φόβῳ. τί μ’ οὐκ ἀνταίαν

ἔπαισέν τις ἀμφιθήκτῳ ξίφει;

δείλαιος ἐγώ, φεῦ φεῦ,

δειλαίᾳ δὲ συγκέκραμαι δύᾳ.

Ἐξάγγελος

ὡς αἰτίαν γε τῶνδε κἀκείνων ἔχων
1250

πρὸς τῆς θανούσης τῆσδ᾽ ἐπεσκήπτου μόρων.

Κρέων

ποίῳ δὲ κἀπελύσατ᾽ ἐν φοναῖς τρόπῳ;

Ἐξάγγελος

παίσασ᾽ ὑφ᾽ ἧπαρ αὐτόχειρ αὑτήν, ὅπως

παιδὸς τόδ᾽ ᾔσθετ᾽ ὀξυκώκυτον πάθος.

Κρέων

4

ὤ μοι, τάδ᾽ οὐκ ἐπ’ ἄλλον βροτῶν
1255

ἐμᾶς ἁρμόσει ποτ᾽ ἐξ αἰτίας.

ἐγὼ γάρ σ᾽, ἐγὼ ἔκανον, ὢ μέλεος,

ἐγώ· φάμ᾽ ἔτυμον. ἰὼ πρόσπολοι,

προσοπολοῦντες ¹ ἄγετέ μ᾽ ὅ τι τάχος. ἄγετέ μ᾽ ἐκποδών,

τὸν οὐκ ὄντα μᾶλλον ἢ μηδένα.
1260

Χορός

κέρδη παραινεῖς, εἴ τι κέρδος ἐν κακοῖς·

βράχιστα γὰρ κράτιστα τἀν ποσὶν κακά.

Κρέων

3

ἴτω, ἴτω,

φανήτω μόρων ὁ κάλλιστ᾽ ἐμῶν

ἐμοὶ τερμίαν ἄγων ἁμέραν
1265

ὕπατος· ἴτω, ἴτω,

ὅπως μηκέτ᾽ ἆμαρ ἄλλ᾽ εἰσίδω.

Χορός

μέλλοντα ταῦτα. τῶν προκειμένων τι χρὴ

πράσσειν· μέλει γὰρ τῶνδ᾽ ὅτοισι χρὴ μέλειν.

Κρέων

ἀλλ' ὧν ἐρῶμεν, ταῦτα συγκατηυξάμην.
1270

Χορός

μὴ νῦν προσεύχου μηδέν· ὡς πεπρωμένης

οὐκ ἔστι θνητοῖς ξυμφορᾶς ἀπαλλαγή.

Κρέων

4

ἄγοιτ᾽ ἂν μάταιον ἄνδρ᾽ ἐκποδών,

ὅς, ὦ παῖ, σέ τ᾽ οὐχ ἑκὼν κάκτανον,

σέ τ' αὐτάν. ἰὼ μέλεος, οὐδ᾽ ἔχω
1275

ὅπα πρὸς ποτερὸν ἴδω, πᾶ καὶ θῶ.

πάντα γὰρ λέχρια τἀν χεροῖν, τὰ δ᾽ ἐπὶ κρατί μοι

πότμος δυσκόμιστος εἰσήλατο.

Χορός

πολλῷ τὸ φρονεῖν εὐδαιμονίας

πρῶτον ὑπάρχει· χρὴ δὲ τά γ᾽ ἐς θεοὺς
1280

μηδὲν ἀσεπτεῖν· μεγάλοι δὲ λόγοι

μεγάλας πληγὰς τῶν ὑπεραύχων

ἀποτίσαντες

γήρᾳ τὸ φρονεῖν ἐδίδαξαν.

Greek (F. H. Bothe, 1806) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (F. H. Bothe, 1806)) — 1219 focus

τάδ', ἐξαθύμου δεσπότου κελεύσμασιν,
1195

ἐδρῶμεν· ἐν δὲ λοισθίῳ τυμβεύματι

τὴν μὲν, κρεμαστὴν αὐχένος, κατείδομεν,

βρόχῳ μιτώδει σινδόνος καθημμένην·

τὸν δ᾽, ἀμφὶ μέσσῃ περιπετῆ προσκείμενον,

εὐνῆς ἀποιμώζοντα τῆς κάτω φθορὰν,
1200

καὶ πατρὸς ἔργα, καὶ τὸ δύστηνον λέχος.

ὁ δ᾽, ὡς ὁρᾷ σφε, στυγνὸν οἰμώξας, ἔσω

χωρεῖ πρὸς αὐτόν, κἀνακωκύσας καλεῖ·

ὦ τλῆμον, οἷον ἔργον εἴργασαι; τίνα

νοῦν ἔσχες; ἐν τῷ ξυμφορᾶς διεφθάρης;
1205

ἔξελθε, τέκνον! ἱκέσιός σε λίσσομαι.-

τὸν δ᾽ ἀγρίοις ὄσσοισι παπτήνας ὁ παῖς,

πτύσας προσώπῳ, κοὐδὲν ἀντειπὼν, ξίφους

ἕλκει διπλοῦς κνώδοντας· ἐκ δ᾽ ὁρμωμένου

πατρὸς φυγαῖσιν, ἤμπλακ᾽· εἶθ᾽ ὁ δύσμορος
1210

αὑτῷ χολωθεὶς, ὥσπερ εἶχ᾽, ἐπενταθεὶς

ἤρεισε πλευραῖς μέσσον ἔγχος, ἐς δ᾽ ὑγρὸν

ἀγκῶν᾽, ἔτ᾽ ἔμφρων, παρθένον προσπτύσσεται·

καὶ φυσιῶν ὀξεῖαν ἐκβάλλει πνοὴν

λευκῇ παρειᾷ φοινίου σταλάγματος.
1215

κεῖται δὲ νεκρὸς περὶ νεκρῷ, τὰ νυμφικὰ

τέλη λαχὼν δείλαιος εἰς Ἅιδου δόμους,

δείξας ἐν ἀνθρώποισι τὴν ἀβουλίαν,

ὅσῳ μέγιστον ἀνδρὶ πρόσκειται κακόν.

Χορός

τί τοῦτ᾽ ἂν εἰκάσειας; ἡ γυνὴ πάλιν
1220

φρούδη, πρὶν εἰπεῖν ἐσθλὸν ἢ κακὸν λόγον.

Ἄγγελος

καὐτὸς τεθάμβηκ᾽· ἐλπίσιν δὲ βόσκομαι,

ἄχη τέκνου κλύουσαν, ἐς πόλιν γόους

οὐκ ἀξιώσειν, ἀλλ᾽ ὑπὸ στέγης ἔσω

δμώαις προθήσειν πένθος οἰκεῖον στένειν·
1225

γνώμης γὰρ οὐκ ἄπειρος, ὥσθ' ἁμαρτάνειν.

Χορός

οὐκ οἶδ᾽· ἔμοιγ᾽ οὖν ἥ τ’ ἄγαν σιγὴ βαρὺ

δοκεῖ προσεῖναι, χ᾽ ἡ μάτην πολλὴ βοή.

Ἄγγελος

ἀλλ᾽ εἰσόμεσθα, μή τι καὶ κατάσχετον

κρυφῆ καλύπτει καρδίᾳ θυμουμένῃ,
1230

δόμους παραστείχοντες· εὖ γὰρ οὖν λέγεις·

καὶ τῆς ἄγαν γάρ ἐστί που σιγῆς βάρος.

Χορός

καὶ μὴν ὅδ᾽ ἄναξ αὐτὸς ἐφήκει,

μνῆμ᾽ ἐπίσημον διὰ χειρὸς ἔχων,

εἰ θέμις εἰπεῖν, οὐκ ἀλλοτρίαν
1235

ἄτην, ἀλλ᾽ αὐτὸς ἁμαρτών.

Κρέων

1

ἰὼ δυσφρενῶν ἁμαρτήματα

στερεὰ, θανατόεν-

τ᾿! ὦ κτανόντας τε καὶ

θανόντας βλέποντες ἐμφυλίους.
1240

ὦ, μοι ἐμῶν ἄνολβα βουλευμάτων:

ὦ παῖ, παῖ, νέος νέῳ ξὺν μόρῳ,

αἴ, αἷ, αἷ, ἔθανες, ἀπελύθης,

ἐμαῖς, οὐδὲ σαῖσι, δυσβουλίαις.

Χορός

ὅμως ἔοικας ὀψὲ τὴν δίκην ἰδεῖν.
1245

Κρέων

1

οἵ μοι!

ἔχω μαθὼν δείλαιος· ἐν δ᾽ ἐμῷ κάρᾳ

θεὸς τότ' ἄρα, τότε, μέγα βάρος ἔχων

ἔπαισεν, ἐν δ᾽ ἔσεισεν ἀγρίαις ὁδοῖς,

οἴ μοι, λαξπάτητον ἀντρέπων χαράν.
1250

φεῦ, φεῦ! ὦ πόνοι βροτῶν δύσπονοι!

Ἐξάγγελος

ὦ δέσποθ᾽, ὅσσ᾽ ἔχων τε καὶ κεκτημένος

ἔοικας ἥκων κ᾽ ἐνθάδ᾽ ὄψεσθαι κακά!

Κρέων

τί δ᾽ ἔστιν αὖ κάκιον ἐκ κακῶν ἔτι;

Ἐξάγγελος

γυνὴ τέθνηκε, τοῦδε παμμήτωρ νεκροῦ
1255

δύστηνος, ἄρτι νεοτόμοισι πλήγμασιν.

Κρέων

1

ἰὼ δυσκάθαρτος ᾅδου λιμὴν,

τί μ᾽ ἄρα, τί μ᾽ ὀλέκεις;

ὦ κακάγγελτά μοι

προπέμψας ἄχη, τίνα θροεῖς λόγον;
1260

αἶ, αἶ, ᾽λωλότ᾽ ἄνδρ᾽ ἐπεξειργάσω!

τί φῇς, παῖ, νέον; τίν᾽ αὐδᾷς λόγον;

αἶ, αἶ, αἶ, σφάγιον ἐπ᾿ ὀλέθρῳ

γυναικεῖον ἀμφικεῖσθαι μόρον;

Ἐξάγγελος

ὁρᾷν πάρεστιν· οὐ γὰρ ἐν μυχοῖς ἔτι.
1265

Κρέων

2

οἴ μοι!

κακὸν τόδ᾽ ἄλλο δεύτερον βλέπω τάλας.

τίς ἄρα, τίς, με πότμος ἔτι περιμένει;

ἔχω μὲν ἐν χείρεσσιν ἀρτίως τέκνον,

τάλας, τὸν δ᾽ ἔναντα προσβλέπω νεκρόν.
1270

φεῦ, φεῦ, μᾶτερ ἀθλία! φεῦ, τέκνον!

Ἐξάγγελος

ἡ δ᾽ ὀξύθηκτος ἥδε, βωμία πέριξ,

λύει κελαινὰ βλέφαρα, κωκύσασα μὲν

τοῦ πρὶν θανόντος Μεγαρέως κλεινὸν λάχος,

αὖθις δὲ τοῦδε, λοίσθιον δέ σοι κακὰς
1275

πράξεις ἐφυμνήσασα, τῷ παιδοκτόνῳ.

Κρέων

3

αἶ, αἶ,

ἀνέπταν φόβῳ! Τί μ᾽ οὐκ ἀνταίαν

ἔπαισέν τις ἀμφιθήκτῳ ξίφει;

δείλαιος δ᾽ ἐγὼ, φεῦ, φεῦ, δειλαίᾳ
1280

ξυγκέκραμαι δύᾳ!

Ἐξάγγελος

ὡς αἰτίαν γε τῶνδε κἀκείνων ἔχων

πρὸς τῆς θανούσης τῆσδ᾽ ἐπεσκήπτου μόρων.

Κρέων

ποίῳ δὲ κἀπελύσατ᾽ ἐμφανῶς τρόπῳ;

Ἐξάγγελος

παίσασ᾽ ὑφ᾽ ἧπαρ αὐτόχειρ αὑτὴν, ὅπως
1285

παιδὸς τόδ᾽ ᾔσθετ᾽ ὀξυκώκυτον πάθος.

Κρέων

4

ὤ μοι μοι, τάδ᾽ οὐκ ἐπ᾽ ἄλλον βροτῶν

ἐμᾶς ἁρμόσει ποτ᾽ ἐξ αἰτίας·

ἐγὼ γὰρ σ᾽ ἔγωγ᾽ ἔκανον, ὁ μέλεος,

ἔγώ! φάμ᾽ ἔτυμον. ἰὼ πρόσπολοι,
1290

ἄγετέ μ᾽ ὅτι τάχος, ἄγετέ μ' ἐκποδών,

τὸν οὐκ ὄντα μᾶλλον ἢ μηδένα!

Χορός

κέρδη παραινεῖς, εἴ τι κέρδος ἐν κακοῖς.

Κρέων

3

ἴτω,

φανήτω μόρων ὁ κάλλιστ᾽ ἐμῶν
1295

ἐμοὶ τερμίαν ἄγων ἁμέραν

ὕπατος! ἴτω, ἴτω, ὅπως μηκέτ᾽ ἆ-

μαρ ἄλλ᾽ εἰσίδω!

Χορός

μέλλοντα ταῦτα· τῶν προκειμένων τι χρὴ

πράσσειν· μέλει γὰρ τῶνδ᾽, ὅτοισι χρὴ μέλειν.
1300

Κρέων

ἀλλ᾽, ὧν ἐρῶμεν, ταῦτα συγκαθέξομεν.

Χορός

μὴ νῦν προσεύχου μηδέν· ὡς πεπρωμένης

οὐκ ἔστι θνητοῖς ξυμφορᾶς ἀπαλλαγή.

Κρέων

4

ἄγοιτ᾽ ἂν μάταιον ἄνδρ᾽ ἐκποδὼν,

ὃς, ὦ παῖ, σέ τ᾽ οὐχ ἑκὼν ἔκτανον,
1305

σέ τ᾽ αὐτὰν (ἰὼ μέλεος!), οὐδ᾽ ἔχω,

ὅποι πρὸς πότερον ἴδω! πᾶν κάτω·

πάντα γε λέχρια, τἀν χεροῖν, τά τ᾽ ἐπίκαρ,

πότμος δυσκόμιστος εἰσήλατο.

Χορός

βράχιστα γὰρ κράτιστα τἀν ποσὶν κακά. —
1310

πολλῷ τὸ φρονεῖν εὐδαιμονίας

πρῶτον ὑπάρχει· χρὴ δὲ τά γ᾽ ἐς θεοὺς

μηδὲν ἀσεπτεῖν· μεγάλοι δὲ λόγοι

μεγάλας πληγὰς τῶν ὑπεραύχων

ἀποτίσαντες,
1315

γήρᾳ τὸ φρονεῖν ἐδίδαξαν.

Greek (Lewis Campbell, 1879) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (Lewis Campbell, 1879)) — 1219 focus

τάδ᾽ ἐξ ἀθύμου δεσπότου κελεύσμασιν

ἠθροῦμεν· ἐν δὲ λοισθίῳ τυμβεύματι
1220

τὴν μὲν κρεμαστὴν αὐχένος κατείδομεν,

βρόχῳ μιτώδει σινδόνος καθημμένην,

τὸν δ᾽ ἀμφὶ μέσσῃ περιπετῆ προσκείμενον,

εὐνῆς ἀποιμώζοντα τῆς κάτω φθορὰν

καὶ πατρὸς ἔργα καὶ τὸ δύστηνον λέχος.
1225

ὁ δ᾽ ὡς ὁρᾷ σφε, στυγνὸν οἰμώξας ἔσω

χωρεῖ πρὸς αὐτὸν κἀνακωκύσας καλεῖ,

63r

ὦ τλῆμον, οἷον ἔργον εἴργασαι· τίνα

νοῦν ἔσχες; ἐν τῷ συμφορᾶς διεφθάρης;

ἔξελθε, τέκνον, ἱκέσιός σε λίσσομαι.
1230

τὸν δ᾽ ἀγρίοις ὄσσοισι παπτήνας ὁ παῖς,

πτύσας προσώπῳ κοὐδὲν ἀντειπών, ξίφους

ἕλκει διπλοῦς κνώδοντας, ἐκ δ᾽ ὁρμωμένου

πατρὸς φυγαῖσιν ἤμπλακ᾿· εἶθ᾽ ὁ δύσμορος

αὑτῷ χολωθείς, ὥσπερ εἶχ᾽, ἐπενταθεὶς
1235

ἤρεισε πλευραῖς μέσσον ἔγχος· ἐς δ᾽ ὑγρὸν

ἀγκῶν᾽ ἔτ᾽ ἔμφρων παρθένῳ προσπτύσσεται·

καὶ φυσιῶν ὀξεῖαν ἐκβάλλει πνοὴν

λευκῇ παρειᾷ φοινίου σταλάγματος.

κεῖται δὲ νεκρὸς περὶ νεκρῷ, τὰ νυμφικὰ
1240

τέλη λαχὼν δείλαιος εἰν Ἅιδου δόμοις,

δείξας ἐν ἀνθρώποισι τὴν ἀβουλίαν

ὅσῳ μέγιστον ἀνδρὶ πρόσκειται κακόν.

Χορός

τί τοῦτ᾽ ἂν εἰκάσειας; ἡ γυνὴ πάλιν

φρούδη, πρὶν εἰπεῖν ἐσθλὸν ἢ κακὸν λόγον.
1245

Ἄγγελος

καὐτὸς τεθάμβηκʼ· ἐλπίσιν δὲ βόσκομαι

ἄχη τέκνου κλύουσαν ἐς πόλιν γόους

οὐκ ἀξιώσειν, ἀλλ᾽ ὑπὸ στέγης ἔσω

δμωαῖς προθήσειν πένθος οἰκεῖον στένειν.

γνώμης γὰρ οὐκ ἄπειρος, ὥσθ᾽ ἁμαρτάνειν.
1250

Χορός

οὐκ οἶδ᾽· ἐμοὶ δ᾽ οὖν ἥ τ᾿ ἄγαν σιγὴ βαρὺ

δοκεῖ προσεῖναι χἠ μάτην πολλὴ βοή.

Ἄγγελος

ἀλλ᾽ εἰσόμεσθα, μή τι καὶ κατάσχετον

κρυφή καλύπτει καρδίᾳ θυμουμένῃ,

δόμους παραστείχοντες. εὖ γὰρ οὖν λέγεις.
1255

καὶ τῆς ἄγαν γάρ ἐστί που σιγῆς βάρος.

Χορός

καὶ μὴν ὅδ᾽ ἄναξ αὐτὸς ἐφήκει

μνῆμ᾽ ἐπίσημον διὰ χειρὸς ἔχων,

εἰ θέμις εἰπεῖν, οὐκ ἀλλοτρίαν

ἄτην, ἀλλ᾽ αὐτὸς ἁμαρτών.
1260

Κρέων
α

ἰὼ φρενῶν δυσφρόγων ἁμαρτήματα

στερεὰ θανατόεντ',

ὦ κτανόντας τε καὶ

θανόντας βλέποντες ἐμφυλίους.

*ὤμοι ἐμῶν ἄνολβα βουλευμάτων.
1265

ἰὼ παῖ, νέος νέῳ ξὺν μόρῳ,

αἰαῖ αἰαῖ,

ἔθανες, ἀπελύθης,

ἐμαῖς οὐδὲ σαῖσι δυσβουλίαις.

Χορός

οἴμ᾿ ὡς ἔοικας ὀψὲ τὴν δίκην ἰδεῖν.
1270

Κρέων

οἴμοι,

ἔχω μαθὼν δείλαιος· ἐν δ᾽ ἐμῷ κάρᾳ

θεὸς τότ᾽ ἄρα τότε μέγα βάρος μ' ἔχων

ἔπαισεν, ἐν δ᾽ ἔσεισεν ἀγρίαις ὁδοῖς,

63v

οἴμοι, λακπάτητον ἀντρέπων χαράν.
1275

φεῦ φεῦ, ὦ πόνοι βροτῶν δύσπονοι.

Ἐξάγγελος

ὦ δέσποθ', ὡς, ἔχων τε καὶ κεκτημένος,

τὰ μὲν πρὸ χειρῶν τάδε φέρων, τὰ δ᾽ ἐν δόμοις

ἔοικας ἥκειν καὶ τάχ᾿ ὄψεσθαι κακά.
1280

Κρέων

τί δ᾽ ἔστιν αὖ κάκιον ἢ κακῶν ἔτι;

Ἐξάγγελος

γυνὴ τέθνηκε, τοῦδε παμμήτωρ νεκροῦ,

δύστηνος, ἄρτι νεοτόμοισι πλήγμασιν.

Κρέων
α

ἰὼ ἰὼ δυσκάθαρτος Ἅιδου λιμήν,

τί μ' ἄρα τί μ᾿ ὀλέκεις;
1285

ὦ κακάγγελτά μοι

προπέμψας ἄχη, τίνα θροεῖς λόγον;

αἰαῖ, ὀλωλότ᾽ ἄνδρ᾽ ἐπεξειργάσω.

τί φής, [ὦ παῖ,] τίνα λέγεις νέον μοι λόγον,

αἰαῖ αἰαῖ,
1290

σφάγιον ἐπ᾿ ὀλέθρῳ

γυναικεῖον ἀμφικεῖσθαι μόρον;

Ἐξάγγελος

ὁρᾶν πάρεστιν· οὐ γὰρ ἐν μυχοῖς ἔτι,

Κρέων

οἴμοι,

κακὸν τόδ᾽ ἄλλο δεύτερον βλέπω τάλας.
1295

τίς ἄρα, τίς με πότμος ἔτι περιμένει;

ἔχω μὲν ἐν χείρεσσιν ἀρτίως τέκνον,

τάλας, τὸν δ᾽ ἔναντα προσβλέπω νεκρόν.

φεῦ φεῦ μᾶτερ ἀθλία, φεῦ τέκνον.
1300

Ἐξάγγελος

ἡ δ᾽ ὀξύθηκτος ἥδε βωμία †πέριξ

λύει κελαινὰ βλέφαρα, κωκύσασα μὲν

τοῦ πρὶν θανόντος Μεγαρέως κλεινὸν λέχος,

αὖθις δὲ τοῦδε, λοίσθιον δὲ σοὶ κακὰς

πράξεις ἐφυμνήσασα τῷ παιδοκτόνῳ.
1305

Κρέων
β

αἰαῖ αἰαῖ,

ἀνέπταν φόβῳ. τί μ' οὐκ ἀνταίαν

ἔπαισέν τις ἀμφιθήκτῳ ξίφει;

δείλαιος ἐγώ, *αἰαῖ,
1310

δειλαίᾳ δὲ συγκέκραμαι δύᾳ.

Ἐξάγγελος

ὡς αἰτίαν γε τῶνδε κἀκείνων ἔχων

πρὸς τῆς θανούσης τῆσδ᾽ ἐπεσκήπτου μόρων.

Κρέων

ποίῳ δὲ κἀπελύσατ᾽ ἐν φοναῖς τρόπῳ;

Ἐξάγγελος

παίσασʼ ὑφʼ ἧπαρ αὐτόχειρ αὑτήν, ὅπως
1315

παιδὸς τόδ᾽ ᾔσθετ᾽ ὀξυκώκυτον πάθος.

Κρέων

ὤμοι μοι, τάδ᾽ οὐκ ἐπ᾿ ἄλλον βροτῶν

ἐμᾶς ἁρμόσει ποτ᾽ ἐξ αἰτίας.

ἐγὼ γάρ σ᾽ ἐγὼ ἔκανον, ὢ μέλεος,

ἐγώ, φάμ᾽ ἔτυμον. ἰὼ πρόσπολοι,
1320

ἄγετέ μ' ὅτι τάχος, ἄγετέ μ' ἐκποδών,

64r

τὸν οὐκ ὄντα μᾶλλον ἢ μηδένα.
1325

Χορός

κέρδη παραινεῖς, εἴ τι κέρδος ἐν κακοῖς·

βράχιστα γὰρ κράτιστα τὰν ποσὶν κακά.

Κρέων
β

ἴτω ἴτω,

φανήτω μόρων ὁ κάλλιστ᾽ ἐμῶν

ἐμοὶ τερμίαν ἄγων ἁμέραν
1330

ὕπατος· ἴτω ἴτω,

ὅπως μηκέτ' ἆμαρ

ἄλλ᾽ εἰσίδω.

Χορός

μέλλοντα ταῦτα. τῶν προκειμένων τι χρὴ

πράσσειν. μέλει γὰρ τῶνδ᾽ ὅτοισι χρὴ μέλειν.
1335

Κρέων

ἀλλ᾽ ὧν *ἐρῶμαι, ταῦτα συγκατηυξάμην.

Χορός

μή νυν προσεύχου μηδέν· ὡς πεπρωμένης

οὐκ ἔστι θνητοῖς συμφορᾶς ἀπαλλαγή.

Κρέων

ἄγοιτ᾽ ἂν μάταιον ἄνδρ᾽ ἐκποδών,

ὅς, ὦ παῖ, σε τ᾽ οὐχ ἑκὼν κάκτανον
1340

σε τ᾿ αὐτάν, ὤμοι μέλεος, οὐδ᾽ ἔχω

ὅπα πρὸς πότερον ἴδω· πάντα γὰρ

λέχρια τὰν χεροῖν, τὰ δ᾽ ἐπὶ κρατί μοι
1345

πότμος δυσκόμιστος εἰσήλατο.

Χορός

πολλῷ τὸ φρονεῖν εὐδαιμονίας

πρῶτον ὑπάρχει· χρὴ δὲ τά γ' εἰς θεοὺς

μηδὲν ἀσεπτεῖν· μεγάλοι δὲ λόγοι
1350

μεγάλας πληγὰς τῶν ὑπεραύχων

ἀποτίσαντες

γήρᾳ τὸ φρονεῖν ἐδίδαξαν.

Greek (A. Colonna, 1978) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (A. Colonna, 1978)) — 1219 focus

τάδ᾽ ἐξ ἀθύμου δεσπότου κελεύσμασιν

ἠθροῦμεν· ἐν δὲ λοισθίῳ τυμβεύματι
1220

τὴν μὲν κρεμαστὴν αὐχένος κατείδομεν,

βρόχῳ μιτώδει σινδόνος καθημμένην,

τὸν δ᾽ ἀμφὶ μέσσῃ περιπετῆ προσκείμενον,

εὐνῆς ἀποιμώζοντα τῆς κάτω φθορὰν

καὶ πατρὸς ἔργα καὶ τὸ δύστηνον λέχος.
1225

ὁ δ᾽ ὡς ὁρᾷ σφε, στυγνὸν οἰμώξας ἔσω

χωρεῖ πρὸς αὐτὸν κἀνακωκύσας καλεῖ·

« ὦ τλῆμον, οἷον ἔργον εἴργασαι· τίνα

νοῦν ἔσχες; ἐν τῷ συμφορᾶς διεφθάρης;

ἔξελθε, τέκνον, ἱκέσιός σε λίσσομαι. »
1230

τὸν δ᾽ ἀγρίοις ὄσσοισι παπτήνας ὁ παῖς,

πτύσας προσώπῳ κοὐδὲν ἀντειπών, ξίφους

ἕλκει διπλοῦς κνώδοντας, ἐκ δ᾽ ὁρμωμένου

πατρὸς φυγαῖσιν ἤμπλακ᾽· εἶθ᾽ ὁ δύσμορος

αὑτῷ χολωθείς, ὥσπερ εἶχ᾽, ἐπενταθεὶς
1235

ἤρεισε πλευραῖς μέσσον ἔγχος, ἐς δ᾽ ὑγρὸν

ἀγκῶν᾽ ἔτ᾽ ἔμφρων παρθένῳ προσπτύσσεται·

καὶ φυσιῶν ὀξεῖαν ἐκβάλλει ῥοὴν

λευκῇ παρειᾷ φοινίου σταλάγματος

κεῖται δὲ νεκρὸς περὶ νεκρῷ, τὰ νυμφικὰ
1240

τέλη λαχὼν δείλαιος εἰν Ἅιδου δόμοις,

δείξας ἐν ἀνθρώποισι τὴν ἀβουλίαν

ὅσῳ μέγιστον ἀνδρὶ πρόσκειται κακόν.

Χορός

τί τοῦτ᾽ ἂν εἰκάσειας; ἡ γυνὴ πάλιν

φρούδη, πρὶν εἰπεῖν ἐσθλὸν ἢ κακὸν λόγον.
1245

Ἄγγελος

καὐτὸς τεθάμβηκ᾽· ἐλπίσιν δὲ βόσκομαι

ἄχη τέκνου κλύουσαν ἐς πόλιν γόους

οὐκ ἀξιώσειν, ἀλλ᾽ ὑπὸ στέγης ἔσω

δμωαῖς προθήσειν πένθος οἰκεῖον στένειν.

γνώμης γὰρ οὐκ ἄπειρος, ὥσθ᾽ ἁμαρτάνειν.
1250

Χορός

οὐκ οἶδ᾽. ἐμοὶ δ’ οὖν ἥ τ᾽ ἄγαν σιγὴ βαρὺ

δοκεῖ προσεῖναι χἠ μάτην πολλὴ βοή.

Ἄγγελος

ἀλλ᾽ εἰσόμεσθα μή τι καὶ κατάσχετον

κρυφῇ καλύπτει καρδίᾳ θυμουμένῃ

δόμους παραστείχοντες· εὖ γὰρ οὖν λέγεις·
1255

καὶ τῆς ἄγαν γάρ ἐστί που σιγῆς βάρος.

Χορός

καὶ μὴν ὅδ᾽ ἄναξ αὐτὸς ἐφήκει

μνῆμ᾽ ἐπίσημον διὰ χειρὸς ἔχων,

εἰ θέμις εἰπεῖν, οὐκ ἀλλοτρίαν

ἄτην, ἀλλ᾽ αὐτὸς ἁμαρτών.
1260

Κρέων
1

ἰὼ φρενῶν δυσφρόνων ἁμαρτήματα

στερεὰ θανατόεντ᾽,

ὦ κτανόντας τε καὶ

θανόντας βλέποντες ἐμφυλίους.

ὤμοι ἐμῶν ἄνολβα βουλευμάτων.
1265

ἰὼ παῖ, νέος νέῳ ξὺν μόρῳ,

αἰαῖ αἰαῖ,

ἔθανες, ἀπελύθης,

ἐμαῖς οὐδὲ σαῖσι δυσβουλίαις.

Χορός

οἴμ᾽ ὡς ἔοικας ὀψὲ τὴν δίκην ἰδεῖν.
1270

Κρέων

οἴμοι,

ἔχω μαθὼν δείλαιος· ἐν δ᾽ ἐμῷ κάρᾳ

θεὸς τότ᾽ ἄρα τότε μέγα βάρος μ᾽ ἔχων

ἔπαισεν, ἐν δ᾽ ἔσεισεν ἀγρίαις ὁδοῖς,

οἴμοι, λακπάτητον ἀντρέπων χαράν.
1275

φεῦ φεῦ, ἰὼ πόνοι βροτῶν δύσπονοι.

Ἐξάγγελος

ὦ δέσποθ᾽, ὡς ἔχων τε καὶ κεκτημένος,

τὰ μὲν πρὸ χειρῶν τάδε φέρων, τὰ δ᾽ ἐν δόμοις

ἔοικας ἥκειν καὶ τάχ᾽ ὄψεσθαι κακά.
1280

Κρέων

τί δ᾽ ἔστιν αὖ κάκιον ἐκ κακῶν ἔτι;

Ἐξάγγελος

γυνὴ τέθνηκεν, τοῦδε παμμήτωρ νεκροῦ,

δύστηνος, ἄρτι νεοτόμοισι πλήγμασιν.

Κρέων
1

ἰὼ ἰὼ δυσκάθαρτος Ἅιἰδου λιμήν,

τί μ᾽ ἄρα τί μ᾽ ὀλέκεις;
1285

ὦ κακάγγελτά μοι

προπέμψας ἄχη, τίνα θροεῖς λόγον;

αἰαῖ, ὀλωλότ᾽ ἄνδρ᾽ ἐπεξειργάσω.

τί φῇς, ὦ παῖ; τίνα λέγεις μοι νέον,

αἰαῖ, αἰαῖ,
1290

σφάγιον ἐπ᾽ ὀλέθρῳ

γυναικεῖον ἀμφικεῖσθαι μόρον;

Ἐξάγγελος

ὁρᾶν πάρεστιν· οὐ γὰρ ἐν μυχοῖς ἔτι.

Κρέων

οἴμοι,

κακὸν τόδ᾽ ἄλλο δεύτερον βλέπω τάλας.
1295

τίς ἄρα, τίς με πότμος ἔτι περιμένει;

ἔχω μὲν ἐν χείρεσσιν ἀρτίως τέκνον,

τάλας, τὸν δ᾽ ἔναντα προσβλέπω νεκρόν.

φεῦ φεῦ μᾶτερ ἀθλία, φεῦ τέκνον.
1300

Ἐξάγγελος

ἡ δ᾽ ὀξυθήκτῳ βωμία περὶ ξίφει

λύει κελαινὰ βλέφαρα, κωκύσασα μὲν

τοῦ πρὶν θανόντος Μεγαρέως κενὸν λέχος,

αὖθις δὲ τοῦδε, λοίσθιον δὲ σοὶ κακὰς

πράξεις ἐφυμνήσασα τῷ παιδοκτόνῳ.
1305

Κρέων
2

αἰαῖ αἰαῖ,

ἀνέπταν φόβῳ. τί μ᾽ οὐκ ἀνταίαν

ἔπαισέν τις ἀμφιθήκτῳ ξίφει;

δείλαιος ἐγώ, αἰαῖ,
1310

δειλαίᾳ δὲ συγκέκραμαι δύᾳ.

Ἐξάγγελος

ὡς αἰτίαν γε τῶνδε κἀκείνων ἔχων

πρὸς τῆς θανούσης τῆσδ᾽ ἐπεσκήπτου μόρων.

Κρέων

ποίῳ δὲ κἀπελύσατ᾽ ἐν φοναῖς τρόπῳ;

Ἐξάγγελος

παίσασ᾽ ὑφ᾽ ἧπαρ αὐτόχειρ αὑτήν, ὅπως
1315

παιδὸς τόδ᾽ ᾔσθετ᾽ ὀξυκώκυτον πάθος.

Κρέων

ὤμοι μοι, τάδ᾽ οὐκ ἐπ᾽ ἄλλον βροτῶν

ἐμᾶς ἁρμόσει ποτ᾽ ἐξ αἰτίας.

ἐγὼ γάρ σ᾽ ἐγώ σ᾽ ἔκανον, ὢ μέλεος,

ἐγώ, φάμ᾽ ἔτυμον. ἰὼ πρόσπολοι,
1320

ἄγετέ μ᾽ ὅτι τάχιστ᾽, ἄγετέ μ᾽ ἐκποδών,

τὸν οὐκ ὄντα μᾶλλον ἢ μηδένα.
1325

Χορός

κέρδη παραινεῖς, εἴ τι κέρδος ἐν κακοῖς·

βράχιστα γὰρ κράτιστα τἀν ποσὶν κακά.

Κρέων
2

ἴτω, ἴτω,

φανήτω μόρων ὁ κάλλιστ᾽ ἐμῶν

ἐμοὶ τερμίαν ἄγων ἁμέραν
1330

ὕπατος· ἴτω, ἴτω,

ὅπως μηκέτ᾽ ἆμαρ ἄλλ᾽ εἰσίδω.

Χορός

μέλλοντα ταῦτα. τῶν προκειμένων τι χρὴ

πράσσειν· μέλει γὰρ τῶνδ᾽ ὅτοισι χρὴ μέλειν.
1335

Κρέων

ἀλλ᾽ ὧν ἐρῶ μὲν ταῦτα συγκατηυξάμην.

Χορός

μή νυν προσεύχου μηδέν· ὡς πεπρωμένης

οὐκ ἔστι θνητοῖς συμφορᾶς ἀπαλλαγή.

Κρέων

ἄγοιτ᾽ ἂν μάταιον ἄνδρ᾽ ἐκποδών,

ὅς, ὦ παῖ, σέ τ᾽ οὐχ ἑκὼν κάκτανον
1340

σέ τ᾽ αὖ τάνδ᾽, ὤμοι μέλεος, οὐδ᾽ ἔχω

πρὸς πότερον ἴδω, πᾷ κλιθῶ· πάντα γὰρ

λέχρια τἀν χεροῖν, τὰ δ᾽ ἐπὶ κρατί μοι
1345

πότμος δυσκόμιστος εἰσήλατο.

Χορός

πολλῷ τὸ φρονεῖν εὐδαιμονίας

πρῶτον ὑπάρχει· χρὴ δὲ τά γ᾽ εἰς θεοὺς

μηδὲν ἀσεπτεῖν· μεγάλοι δὲ λόγοι
1350

μεγάλας πληγὰς τῶν ὑπεραύχων

ἀποτείσαντες

γήρᾳ τὸ φρονεῖν ἐδίδαξαν.

Greek (A. Dain, 1955) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (A. Dain, 1955)) — 1219 focus

τάδ’ ἐξ ἀθύμου δεσπότου κελεύσμασιν

ἠθροῦμεν· ἐν δὲ λοισθίῳ τυμβεύματι
1220

τὴν μὲν κρεμαστὴν αὐχένος κατείδομεν,

βρόχῳ μιτώδει σινδόνος καθημμένην,

τὸν δ’ ἀμφὶ μέσσῃ περιπετῆ προσκείμενον,

εὐνῆς ἀποιμώζοντα τῆς κάτω φθορὰν

καὶ πατρὸς ἔργα καὶ τὸ δύστηνον λέχος.
1225

ὁ δ’ ὡς ὁρᾷ σφε, στυγνὸν οἰμώξας ἔσω

χωρεῖ πρὸς αὐτὸν κἀνακωκύσας καλεῖ·

"ὦ τλῆμον, οἷον ἔργον εἴργασαι· τίνα

νοῦν ἔσχες; ἐν τῷ συμφορᾶς διεφθάρης;

ἔξελθε, τέκνον, ἱκέσιός σε λίσσομαι."
1230

τὸν δ’ ἀγρίοις ὄσσοισι παπτήνας ὁ παῖς,

πτύσας προσώπῳ κοὐδὲν ἀντειπών, ξίφους

ἕλκει διπλοῦς κνώδοντας, ἐκ δ’ ὁρμωμένου

πατρὸς φυγαῖσιν ἤμπλακ’· εἶθ’ ὁ δύσμορος

αὑτῷ χολωθείς, ὥσπερ εἶχ’, ἐπενταθεὶς
1235

ἤρεισε πλευραῖς μέσσον ἔγχος, ἐς δ’ ὑγρὸν

ἀγκῶν’ ἔτ’ ἔμφρων παρθένῳ προσπτύσσεται·

καὶ φυσιῶν ὀξεῖαν ἐκβάλλει ῥοὴν

λευκῇ παρειᾷ φοινίου σταλάγματος.

κεῖται δὲ νεκρὸς περὶ νεκρῷ, τὰ νυμφικὰ
1240

τέλη λαχὼν δείλαιος εἰν Ἅιδου δόμοις,

δείξας ἐν ἀνθρώποισι τὴν ἀβουλίαν

ὅσῳ μέγιστον ἀνδρὶ πρόσκειται κακόν.

Χορός

τί τοῦτ’ ἂν εἰκάσειας; ἡ γυνὴ πάλιν

φρούδη, πρὶν εἰπεῖν ἐσθλὸν ἢ κακὸν λόγον.
1245

Ἄγγελος

καὐτὸς τεθάμβηκ’· ἐλπίσιν δὲ βόσκομαι

ἄχη τέκνου κλύουσαν ἐς πόλιν γόους

οὐκ ἀξιώσειν, ἀλλ’ ὑπὸ στέγης ἔσω

δμωαῖς προθήσειν πένθος οἰκεῖον στένειν.

γνώμης γὰρ οὐκ ἄπειρος, ὥσθ’ ἁμαρτάνειν.
1250

Χορός

οὐκ οἶδ’· ἐμοὶ δ’ οὖν ἥ τ’ ἄγαν σιγὴ βαρὺ

δοκεῖ προσεῖναι χἠ μάτην πολλὴ βοή.

Ἄγγελος

ἀλλ’ εἰσόμεσθα μή τι καὶ κατάσχετον

κρυφῇ καλύπτει καρδίᾳ θυμουμένῃ

δόμους παραστείχοντες· εὖ γὰρ οὖν λέγεις·
1255

καὶ τῆς ἄγαν γάρ ἐστί που σιγῆς βάρος.

Χορός

καὶ μὴν ὅδ’ ἄναξ αὐτὸς ἐφήκει

μνῆμ’ ἐπίσημον διὰ χειρὸς ἔχων,

εἰ θέμις εἰπεῖν, οὐκ ἀλλοτρίαν

ἄτην, ἀλλ’ αὐτὸς ἁμαρτών.
1260

Κρέων
1

ἰὼ φρενῶν δυσφρόνων ἁμαρτήματα

στερεὰ θανατόεντ’,

ὦ κτανόντας τε καὶ

θανόντας βλέποντες ἐμφυλίους.

ὤμοι ἐμῶν ἄνολβα βουλευμάτων.
1265

ἰὼ παῖ, νέος νέῳ ξὺν μόρῳ,

αἰαῖ αἰαῖ,

ἔθανες, ἀπελύθης,

ἐμαῖς οὐδὲ σαῖσι δυσβουλίαις.

Χορός

οἴμ’ ὡς ἔοικας ὀψὲ τὴν δίκην ἰδεῖν.
1270

Κρέων

οἴμοι,

ἔχω μαθὼν δείλαιος· ἐν δ’ ἐμῷ κάρᾳ

θεὸς τότ’ ἄρα τότε μέγα βάρος μ’ ἔχων

ἔπαισεν, ἐν δ’ ἔσεισεν ἀγρίαις ὁδοῖς,

οἴμοι, λεωπάτητον ἀντρέπων χαράν.
1275

φεῦ φεῦ, ἰὼ πόνοι βροτῶν δύσπονοι.

Ἐξάγγελος

ὦ δέσποθ’, ὡς ἔχων τε καὶ κεκτημένος,

τὰ μὲν πρὸ χειρῶν τάδε φέρων, τὰ δ’ ἐν δόμοις

ἔοικας ἥκειν καὶ τάχ’ ὄψεσθαι κακά.
1280

Κρέων

τί δ’ ἔστιν αὖ κάκιον ἐκ κακῶν ἔτι;

Ἐξάγγελος

γυνὴ τέθνηκεν, τοῦδε παμμήτωρ νεκροῦ,

δύστηνος, ἄρτι νεοτόμοισι πλήγμασιν.

Κρέων
1

ἰὼ ἰὼ δυσκάθαρτος Ἅιδου λιμήν,

τί μ’ ἄρα τί μ’ ὀλέκεις;
1285

ὦ κακάγγελτά μοι

προπέμψας ἄχη, τίνα θροεῖς λόγον;

αἰαῖ, ὀλωλότ’ ἄνδρ’ ἐπεξειργάσω.

τί φῄς, παῖ; τίν’ αὖ λέγεις μοι νέον,

αἰαῖ, αἰαῖ,
1290

σφάγιον ἐπ’ ὀλέθρῳ

γυναικεῖον ἀμφικεῖσθαι μόρον;

Ἐξάγγελος

ὁρᾶν πάρεστιν· οὐ γὰρ ἐν μυχοῖς ἔτι.

Κρέων

οἴμοι,

κακὸν τόδ’ ἄλλο δεύτερον βλέπω τάλας.
1295

τίς ἄρα, τίς με πότμος ἔτι περιμένει;

ἔχω μὲν ἐν χείρεσσιν ἀρτίως τέκνον,

τάλας, τὸν δ’ ἔναντα προσβλέπω νεκρόν.

φεῦ φεῦ μᾶτερ ἀθλία, φεῦ τέκνον.
1300

Ἐξάγγελος

ἡ δ’ ὀξυθήκτῳ βωμία περὶ ξ ίφει

λύει κελαινὰ βλέφαρα, κωκύσασα μὲν

τοῦ πρὶν θανόντος Μεγαρέως κλεινὸν λάχος,

αὖθις δὲ τοῦδε, λοίσθιον δὲ σοὶ κακὰς

πράξεις ἐφυμνήσασα τῷ παιδοκτόνῳ.
1305

Κρέων
2

αἰαῖ αἰαῖ,

ἀνέπταν φόβῳ. τί μ’ οὐκ ἀνταίαν

ἔπαισέν τις ἀμφιθήκτῳ ξίφει;

δείλαιος ἐγώ, αἰαῖ,
1310

δειλαίᾳ δὲ συγκέκραμαι δύᾳ.

Ἐξάγγελος

ὡς αἰτίαν γε τῶνδε κἀκείνων ἔχων

πρὸς τῆς θανούσης τῆσδ’ ἐπεσκήπτου μόρων.

Κρέων

ποίῳ δὲ κἀπελύσατ’ ἐν φοναῖς τρόπῳ;

Ἐξάγγελος

παίσασ’ ὑφ’ ἧπαρ αὐτόχειρ αὑτήν, ὅπως
1315

παιδὸς τόδ’ ᾔσθετ’ ὀξυκώκυτον πάθος.

Κρέων

ὤμοι μοι, τάδ’ οὐκ ἐπ’ ἄλλον βροτῶν

ἐμᾶς ἁρμόσει ποτ’ ἐξ αἰτίας.

ἐγὼ γάρ σ’ ἐγώ σ’ ἔκανον, ὢ μέλεος,

ἐγώ, φάμ’ ἔτυμον. ἰὼ πρόσπολοι,
1320

ἀπάγετέ μ’ ὅτι τάχος, ἄγετέ μ’ ἐκποδών,

τὸν οὐκ ὄντα μᾶλλον ἢ μηδένα.
1325

Χορός

κέρδη παραινεῖς, εἴ τι κέρδος ἐν κακοῖς·

βράχιστα γὰρ κράτιστα τἀν ποσὶν κακά.

Κρέων
2

ἴτω, ἴτω,

φανήτω μόρων ὁ κάλλιστ’ ἔχων,

ἐμοὶ τερμίαν ἄγων ἁμέραν
1330

ὕπατος· ἴτω, ἴτω,

ὅπως μηκέτ’ ἆμαρ ἄλλ’ εἰσίδω.

Χορός

μέλλοντα ταῦτα. τῶν προκειμένων τι χρὴ

πράσσειν· μέλει γὰρ τῶνδ’ ὅτοισι χρὴ μέλειν.
1335

Κρέων

ἀλλ’ ὧν ἐρῶ μὲν ταῦτα συγκατηυξάμην.

Χορός

μή νυν προσεύχου μηδέν· ὡς πεπρωμένης

οὐκ ἔστι θνητοῖς συμφορᾶς ἀπαλλαγή.

Κρέων

ἄγοιτ’ ἂν μάταιον ἄνδρ’ ἐκποδών,

ὅς, ὦ παῖ, σέ τ’ οὐχ ἑκὼν κάκτανον
1340

σέ τ’ αὖ τάνδ’, ὤμοι μέλεος, οὐδ’ ἔχω

ὅπᾳ πρὸς πότερον ἴδω· πάντα γὰρ

λέχρια τἀν χεροῖν, τὰ δ’ ἐπὶ κρατί μοι
1345

πότμος δυσκόμιστος εἰσήλατο.

Χορός

πολλῷ τὸ φρονεῖν εὐδαιμονίας

πρῶτον ὑπάρχει· χρὴ δὲ τά γ’ εἰς θεοὺς

μηδὲν ἀσεπτεῖν; μεγάλοι δὲ λόγοι
1350

μεγάλας πληγὰς τῶν ὑπεραύχων

ἀποτείσαντες

γήρᾳ τὸ φρονεῖν ἐδίδαξαν.

Greek (R. D. Dawe, 1979) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (R. D. Dawe, 1979)) — 1219 focus

τάδ' ἐξ ἀθύμου δεσπότου, κελεύμασι

ἠθροῦμεν ἐν δὲ λοισθίωι τυμβεύματι
1220

τὴν μὲν κρεμαστὴν αὐχένος κατείδομεν,

βρόχωι μιτώδει σινδόνος καθημμένην,

τὸν δ᾽ ἀμφὶ μέσσηι περιπετῆ προσκείμενον,

εὐνῆς ἀποιμώζοντα τῆς κάτω φθορὰν

καὶ πατρὸς ἔργα καὶ τὸ δύστηνον λέχος.
1225

ὁ δ᾽ ὡς ὁρᾶι σφε, στυγνὸν οἰμώξας ἔσω

χωρεῖ πρὸς αὐτὸν κἀνακωκύσας καλεῖ·

ὦ τλῆμον, οἷον ἔργον εἴργασαι· τίνα

νοῦν ἔσχες; ἐν τῶι συμφορᾶς διεφθάρης;

ἔξελθε, τέκνον· ἱκέσιός σε λίσσομαι.
1230

τὸν δ᾽ ἀγρίοις ὄσσοισι παπτήνας ὁ παῖς,

πτύσας προσώπωι κοὐδὲν ἀντειπών, ξίφους

ἕλκει διπλοῦς κνώδοντας ἐκ δ᾽ ὁρμωμένου

πατρὸς φυγαῖσιν ἤμπλακ᾽· εἶθ᾽ ὁ δύσμορος

αὑτῶι χολωθείς, ὥσπερ εἶχ᾽, ἐπενταθεὶς
1235

ἤρεισε πλευραῖς μέσσον ἔγχος. ἐς δ᾽ ὑγρὸν

ἀγκῶν᾽ ἔτ᾽ ἔμφρων παρθένον προσπτύσσεται·

κἀκφυσιῶν ὀξεῖαν ἐμβάλλει ῥοὴν

λευκῆι παρειᾶι φοινίου σταλάγματος.

κεῖται δὲ νεκρὸς περὶ νεκρῶι, τὰ νυμφικὰ
1240

τέλη λαχὼν δείλαιος ἔν γ᾽ Ἅιδου δόμοις,

δείξας ἐν ἀνθρώποισι τὴν ἀβουλίαν

ὅσωι μέγιστον ἀνδρὶ πρόσκειται κακόν.

Χορός

τί τοῦτ᾽ ἂν εἰκάσειας; ἡ γυνὴ πάλαι

φρούδη, πρὶν εἰπεῖν ἐσθλὸν ἢ κακὸν λόγον.
1245

Ἄγγελος

καὐτὸς τεθάμβηκ᾽· ἐλπίσιν δὲ βόσκομαι

ἄχη τέκνου κλύουσαν ἐς πόλιν γόους

οὐκ ἐξαΰσειν, ἀλλ’ ὑπὸ στέγης ἔσω

δμωαῖς προθήσειν πένθος οἰκεῖον στένειν.

γνώμης γὰρ οὐκ ἄπειρος, ὥσθ᾽ ἁμαρτάνειν.
1250

Χορός

οὐκ οἶδ᾽· ἐμοὶ δ᾽ οὖν ἥ τ᾽ ἄγαν σιγὴ βαρὺ

δοκεῖ προσεῖναι χἠ μάτην πολλὴ βοή.

Ἄγγελος

ἀλλ᾽ εἰσόμεσθα μή τι καὶ κατάσχετον

κρυφῆι καλύπτει καρδίαι θυμουμένηι,

δόμους παραστείχοντες· εὖ γὰρ οὖν λέγεις
1255

καὶ τῆς ἄγαν γάρ ἐστί που σιγῆς βάρος.

Χορός

καὶ μὴν ὅδ᾽ ἄναξ αὐτὸς ἐφήκει

μνῆμ᾽ ἐπίσημον διὰ χειρὸς ἔχων,

εἰ θέμις εἰπεῖν, οὐκ ἀλλοτρίαν

ἄτην, ἀλλ᾽ αὐτὸς ἁμαρτών.
1260

1

Κρέων

ἰὼ

φρενῶν δυσφρόνων ἁμαρτήματα

στερεὰ θανατόεντ᾽·

ὦ κτανόντας τε καὶ

θανόντας βλέποντες ἐμφυλίους·

ὤμοι ἐμῶν ἄνολβα βουλευμάτων.
1265

ἰὼ παῖ, νέος νέωι ξὺν μόρωι,

αἰαῖ αἰαῖ,

ἔθανες, ἀπελύθης,

ἐμαῖς οὐδὲ σαῖσι δυσβουλίαις.

Χορός

οἴμ᾽ ὡς ἔοικας ὀψὲ τὴν δίκην ἰδεῖν.
1270

2

Κρέων

οἴμοι,

ἔχω μαθὼν δείλαιος· ἐν δ᾽ ἐμῶι κάραι

θεὸς τότ᾽ ἄρα τότε μέγα βάρος δικὼν

ἔπαισεν, ἐν δ᾽ ἔσεισεν ἀγρίαις ὁδοῖς,

οἴμοι, λακπάτητον ἀντρέπων χαράν.
1275

φεῦ φεῦ, ἰὼ πόνοι βροτῶν δύσπονοι.

Ἐξάγγελος

ὦ δέσποθ᾽, ὡς ἔχων τε καὶ κεκτημένος,

τὰ μὲν πρὸ χειρῶν τάδε φέρων, τὰ δ᾽ ἐν δόμοις

ἔοικας ἥκειν καὶ τάχ᾽ ὄψεσθαι κακά.
1280

Κρέων

τί δ᾽ ἔστιν αὖ κάκιον ἐκ κακῶν ἔτι;

Ἐξάγγελος

γυνὴ τέθνηκε, τοῦδε παμμήτωρ νεκροῦ,

δύστηνος ἄρτι νεοτόμοισι πλήγμασιν.

Κρέων
1

ἰώ,

ἰὼ δυσκάθαρτος Ἅιδου λιμήν,

τί μ᾽ ἄρα τί μ᾽ ὀλέκεις;
1285

ὦ κακάγγελτά μοι

προπέμψας ἄχη, τίνα θροεῖς λόγον;

αἰαῖ, ὀλωλότ᾽ ἄνδρ᾽ ἐπεξειργάσω.

τί φήις, παῖ, τίν᾽ αὖ λέγεις μοι νέον,

αἰαῖ αἰαῖ,
1290

σφάγιον ἐπ᾽ ὀλέθρωι

γυναικεῖον ἀμφικεῖσθαι μόρον;

Ἐξάγγελος

ὁρᾶν πάρεστιν· οὐ γὰρ ἐν μυχοῖς ἔτι.

Κρέων

οἴμοι,

κακὸν τόδ᾽ ἄλλο δεύτερον βλέπω τάλας.
1295

τίς ἄρα, τίς με πότμος ἔτι περιμένει;

ἔχω μὲν ἐν χείρεσσιν ἀρτίως τέκνον,

τάλας, τὰν δ᾽ ἔναντα προσβλέπω νεκρόν.

φεῦ φεῦ μᾶτερ ἀθλία, φεῦ τέκνον.
1300

Ἐξάγγελος

ἥδ᾽ ὀξύθηκτος † ῆδε βωμία πέριξ †

λύει κελαινὰ βλέφαρα, κωκύσασα μὲν

τοῦ πρὶν θανόντος Μεγαρέως κλεινὸν λάχος,

αὖθις δὲ τόνδε, λοίσθιον δὲ σοὶ κακὰς

πράξεις ἐφυμνήσασα τῶι παιδοκτόνωι.
1305

3

Κρέων

αἰαῖ αἰαῖ,

ἀνέπταν φόβωι. τί μ᾽ οὐκ ἀνταίαν

ἔπαισέν τις ἀμφιθήκτωι ξίφει;

δείλαιος ἐγώ, αἰαῖ,
1310

δειλαίαι δὲ συγκέκραμαι δύαι.

Ἐξάγγελος

ὡς αἰτίαν γε τῶνδε κἀκείνων ἔχων

πρὸς τῆς θανούσης τῆσδ᾽ ἐπεσκήπτου μόρων.

Κρέων

ποίωι δὲ κἀπελύετ᾽ ἐν φοναῖς τρόπωι;

Ἐξάγγελος

παίσασ᾽ ὑφ᾽ ἧπαρ αὐτόχειρ αὑτήν, ὅπως
1315

παιδὸς τόδ᾽ ἤισθετ᾽ ὀξυκώκυτον πάθος.

3

Κρέων

ὤμοι μοι, τάδ᾽ οὐκ ἐπ᾽ ἄλλον βροτῶν

ἐμᾶς ἁρμόσει ποτ᾽ ἐξ αἰτίας.

ἐγὼ γάρ σ᾽ ἐγώ σ᾽ ἔκανον, ὢ μέλεος,

ἐγώ, φάμ᾽ ἔτυμον. ἰὼ πρόσπολοι,
1320

ἀπάγετέ μ᾽ ὅ τι τάχος, ἄγετέ μ᾽ ἐκποδών,

τὸν οὐκ ὄντα μᾶλλον ἢ μηδένα.
1325

Χορός

κέρδη παραινεῖς, εἴ τι κέρδος ἐν κακοῖς·

βράχιστα γὰρ κράτιστα τἀν ποσὶν κακά.

3

Κρέων

ἴτω ἴτω,

φανήτω μόρων ὁ κάλλιστ᾽ ἔχων
1330

ἐμοὶ τερμίαν ἄγων ἁμέραν

ὕπατος. ἴτω ἴτω,

ὅπως μηκέτ᾽ ἆμαρ ἄλλ᾽ εἰσίδω.

Χορός

μέλλοντα ταῦτα᾽ τῶν προκειμένων τι χρὴ

πράσσειν· μέλει γὰρ τῶνδ᾽ ὅτοισι χρὴ μέλειν.
1335

Κρέων

ἀλλ᾽ ὧν ἐρῶ μέν, ταῦτα συγκατηυξάμην.

Χορός

μή νυν προσεύχου μηδέν· ὡς πεπρωμένης

οὐκ ἔστι θνητοῖς συμφορᾶς ἀπαλλαγή.

Κρέων

4

ἄγοιτ᾽ ἂν μάταιον ἄνδρ᾽ ἐκποδών,

ὅς, ὦ παῖ, σέ τ᾽ οὐχ ἑκὼν κατέκανον,
1340

σέ τ᾽ αὖ τάνδ᾽, ὤμοι μέλεος· οὐδ᾽ ἔχω

†ὅπαι πρὸς πρότερον ἴδω πᾶι καὶ θῶ· πάντα γὰρ †

λέχρια τἀν χεροῖν, τὰ δ᾽ ἐπὶ κρατί μοι

πότμος δυσκόμιστος εἰσήλατο.

Χορός

πολλῶι τὸ φρονεῖν εὐδαιμονίας
1345

πρῶτον ὑπάρχει· χρὴ δὲ τά γ᾽ εἰς θεοὺς

μηδὲν ἀσεπτεῖν· μεγάλοι δὲ λόγοι
1350

μεγάλας πληγὰς τῶν ὑπεραύχων

ἀποτείσαντες

γήραι τὸ φρονεῖν ἐδίδαξαν.

Greek (G. Hermann, 1830) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (G. Hermann, 1830)) — 1219 focus

τάδ᾽ ἐξ ἀθύμου δεσπότου κελεύσμασιν

ἠθροῦμεν· ἐν δὲ λοισθίῳ τυμβεύματι
1205

τὴν μέν, κρεμαστὴν αὐχένος κατείδομεν,

βρόχῳ μιτώδει σινδόνος καθημμένην·

τὸν δ᾽, ἀμφὶ μέσσῃ περιπετῆ προσκείμενον

εὐνῆς ἀποιμώζοντα τῆς κάτω φθοράν,

καὶ πατρὸς ἔργα, καὶ τὸ δύστηνον λέχος.
1210

ὁ δ᾽ ὡς ὁρᾷ σφε, στυγνὸν οἰμώξας, ἔσω

χωρεῖ πρὸς αὐτόν, κἀνακωκύσας καλεῖ·

ὦ τλῆμον, οἷον ἔργον εἴργασαι; τίνα

νοῦν ἔσχες; ἐν τῷ ξυμφορᾶς διεφθάρης;

ἔξελθε, τέκνον· ἱκέσιός σε λίσσομαι.
1215

τὸν δ᾽ ἀγρίοις ὄσσοισι παπτήνας ὁ παῖς,

πτύσας προσώπῳ, κοὐδὲν ἀντειπών, ξίφους

ἕλκει διπλοῦς κνώδοντας· ἐκ δ᾽ ὁρμωμένου

πατρὸς φυγαῖσιν, ἤμπλακ᾽ · εἶθ᾽ ὁ δύσμορος

φοραύτῷ χολωθείς, ὥσπερ εἶχ᾽, ἐπενταθεὶς
1220

ἤρεισε πλευραῖς μέσσον ἔγχος, ἐς δ᾽ ὑγρὸν

ἀγκῶν᾽ ἔτ᾽ ἔμφρων παρθένῳ προσπτύσσεται·

καὶ φυσιῶν ὀξεῖαν ἐκβάλλει πνοὴν

λευκῇ παρειᾷ φοινίου σταλάγματος.

κεῖται δὲ νεκρὸς περὶ νεκρῷ, τὰ νυμφικὰ
1225

τέλη λαχὼν δείλαιος εἰν Ἅιδου δόμοις,

δείξας ἐν ἀνθρώποισι τὴν ἀβουλίαν,

ὅσῳ μέγιστον ἀνδρὶ πρόσκειται κακόν.

Χορός

τί τοῦτ᾽ ἂν εἰκάσειας; ἡ γυνὴ πάλιν.

φρούδη, πρὶν εἰπεῖν ἐσθλὸν ἢ κακὸν λόγον.
1230

Ἄγγελος

καὐτὸς τεθάμβηκ᾽· ἐλπίσιν δὲ βόσκομαι,

ἄχη τέκνου κλύουσαν, ἐς πόλιν γόους

οὐκ ἀξιώσειν, ἀλλ᾽ ὑπὸ στέγης ἔσω

δμωαῖς προθήσειν πένθος, οἰκεῖον στένειν.

γνώμης γὰρ οὐκ ἄπειρος, ὥσθ᾽ ἁμαρτάνειν.
1235

Χορός

οὐκ οἶδ᾽· ἐμοὶ δ᾽ οὖν ἥ τ᾽ ἄγαν σιγὴ βαρὺ

δοκεῖ προσεῖναι, χἠ μάτην πολλὴ βοή.

Ἄγγελος

ἀλλ᾽ εἰσόμεσθα, μή τι καὶ κατάσχετον

κρυφῇ καλύπτει καρδίᾳ θυμουμένῃ,

δόμους παραστείχοντες. εὖ γὰρ οὖν λέγεις.
1240

καὶ τῆς ἄγαν γάρ ἐστί που σιγῆς βάρος.

Χορός

καὶ μὴν ὅδ᾽ ἄναξ αὐτὸς ἐφήκει

μνῆμ᾽ ἐπίσημον διὰ χειρὸς ἔχων,

εἰ θέμις εἰπεῖν, οὐκ ἀλλοτρίαν

ἄτην, ἀλλ᾽ αὐτὸς ἁμαρτών.
1245

Κρέων

1

ἰὼ

φρενῶν δυσφρόνων ἁμαρτήματα

στερεά, θανατόεντ᾽.

ὦ κτανόντας τε καὶ

θανόντας βλέποντες ἐμφυλίους.
1250

ὤ μοι ἐμῶν ἄνολβα βουλευμάτων.

ἰὼ παῖ, νέος νέῳ ξὺν μόρῳ

αἰαῖ, αἰαῖ;

ἔθανες, ἀπελύθης,

ἐμαῖς, οὐδὲ σαῖσι δυσβουλίαις.
1255

Χορός

οἴμ᾽, ὡς ἔοικας ὀψὲ τὴν δίκην ἰδεῖν.

Κρέων

2

οἴμοι·

ἔχω μαθὼν δείλαιος· ἐν δ᾽ ἐμῷ κάρᾳ

θεὸς τότ᾽ ἄρα τότε μέγα βάρος μ᾽ ἔχων

ἔπαισεν, ἐν δ᾽ ἔσεισεν ἀγρίαις ὁδοῖς,
1260

οἴμοι, λαξπάτητον ἀντρέπων χαράν.

φεῦ, φεῦ· ὦ πόνοι βροτῶν δύσπονοι.

Ἐξάγγελος

ὦ δέσποθ᾽ , ὡς ἔχων τε καὶ κεκτημένος,

τὰ μὲν πρὸ χειρῶν τάδε φέρων, τὰ δ᾽ ἐν δόμοις

ἔοικας ἥκειν καὶ τάχ᾽ ὄψεσθαι κακά.
1265

Κρέων

τί δ᾽ ἔστιν αὖ κάκιον ἐκ κακῶν ἔτι;

Ἐξάγγελος

γυνὴ τέθνηκε, τοῦδε παμμήτωρ νεκροῦ,

δύστηνος, ἄρτι νεοτόμοισι πλήγμασιν.

Κρέων

1

ἰὼ

ἰὼ δυσκάθαρτος Ἅιδου λιμήν,
1270

τί μ᾽ ἄρα, τί μ᾽ ὀλέκεις;

ὦ κακάγγελτά, μοι

προπέμψας ἄχη, τίνα θροεῖς λόγον;

αἰαῖ. ὀλωλότ᾽ ἄνδρ᾽ ἐπεξειργάσω.

τί φῇς; τίνα λέγεις νέον μοι λόγον;
1275

αἰαῖ, αἰαῖ,

σφάγιον ἐπ᾽ ὀλέθρῳ

γυναικεῖον ἀμφικεῖσθαι μόρον;

Χορός

ὁρᾶν πάρεστιν. οὐ γὰρ ἐν μυχοῖς ἔτι.

Κρέων

2

οἴμοι·
1280

κακὸν τόδ᾽ ἄλλο δεύτερον βλέπω τάλας.

τίς ἄρα, τίς με πότμος ἔτι περιμένει;

ἔχω μὲν ἐν χείρεσσιν ἀρτίως τέκνον,

τάλας, τὸν δ᾽ ἔναντα προσβλέπω νεκρόν.

φεῦ, φεῦ μᾶτερ ἀθλία, φεῦ τέκνον.
1285

Ἐξάγγελος

ἡ δ᾽ ὀξύθηκτος ἥδε βωμία πέριξ

λύει κελαινὰ βλέφαρα, κωκύσασα μὲν

τοῦ πρὶν θανόντος Μεγαρέως κλεινὸν λάχος,

αὖθις δὲ τοῦδε· λοίσθιον δὲ σοὶ κακὰς

πράξεις ἐφυμνήσασα τῷ παιδοκτόνῳ.
1290

Κρέων

3

αἰαῖ, αἰαῖ,

ἀνέπταν φόβῳ. τί μ᾽ οὐκ ἀνταίαν

ἔπαισέν τις ἀμφιθήκτῳ ξίφει;

δείλαιος ἐγώ, φεῦ, φεῦ,

δειλαίᾳ δὲ συγκέκραμαι δύᾳ.
1295

Ἐξάγγελος

ὡς αἰτίαν γε τῶνδε κἀκείνων ἔχων

πρὸς τῆς θανούσης τῆσδ᾽ ἐπεσκήπτου μόρων.

Κρέων

ποίῳ δὲ κἀπελύσατ᾽ ἐν φοναῖς τρόπῳ;

Ἐξάγγελος

παίσασ᾽ ὑφ᾽ ἧπαρ αὐτόχειρ αὑτήν, ὅπως

παιδὸς τόδ᾽ ἤσθετ᾽ ὀξυκώκυτον πάθος.
1300

Κρέων

ᾤ μοί μοι, τάδ᾽ οὐκ ἐπ᾿ ἄλλον βροτῶν

ἐμᾶς ἁρμόσει πότ᾽ ἐξ αἰτίας.

ἐγὼ γάρ σ᾽ , ἐγώ σ᾽ ἕκανον, ὢ μέλεος,

ἐγώ. φάμ᾽, ἔτυμον. ἰὼ πρόσπολοι,
1305

ἄγετέ μ᾽ ὅτι τάχος, ἄγετέ μ᾽ ἐκποδών,

τὸν οὐκ ὄντα μᾶλλον ἢ μηδένα.

Χορός

κέρδη παραινεῖς, εἴ τι κέρδος ἐν κακοῖς·

βράχιστα γὰρ κράτιστα τἀν ποσὶν κακά.

Κρέων

3

ἴτω, ἴτω,
1310

φανήτω μόρων ὁ κάλλιστ᾽ ἐμῶν

ἐμοὶ τερμίαν ἄγων ἁμέραν

ὕπατος· ἴτω, ἴτω,

ὅπως μηκέτ᾽ ἆμαρ ἄλλ᾽ εἰσίδω.

Χορός

μέλλοντα ταῦτα. τῶν προκειμένων τι χρὴ
1315

πράσσειν. μέλει γὰρ τῶνδ᾽ ὅτοισι χρὴ μέλειν.

Κρέων

ἀλλ᾽ ὧν ἐρῶμεν, ταῦτα συγκατηυξάμην.

Χορός

μὴ νῦν προσεύχου μηδέν· ὡς πεπρωμένης

οὐκ ἔστι θνητοῖς συμφορᾶς ἀπαλλαγή.

Κρέων

4

ἄγοιτ᾽ ἂν μάταιον ἄνδρ᾽ ἐκποδών,
1320

ὃς, ὦ παῖ, σέ τ᾽ οὐχ ἑκὼν κάκτανον,

σέ τ᾽ αὐτάν. ἰὼ μέλεος, οὐδ᾽ ἔχω

πᾷ θῶ, ὅπᾳ πρότερον ἴδω. πάντα γὰρ

λέχρια τἀν χεροῖν· τὰ δ᾽ ἐπὶ κρατί μοι
1325

πότμος δυσκόμιστος εἰσήλατο.

Χορός

πολλῷ τὸ φρονεῖν εὐδαιμονίας.

πρῶτον ὑπάρχει· χρὴ δὲ τά γ᾽ εἰς θεοὺς

μηδέν' ἀσεπτεῖν· μεγάλοι δὲ λόγοι

μεγάλας πληγὰς τῶν ὑπεραύχων
1330

ἀποτίσαντες,

γήραι τὸ φρονεῖν ἐδίδαξαν.

Greek (R. C. Jebb, 1906) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (R. C. Jebb, 1906)) — 1219 focus

τάδ᾽ ἐξ ἀθύμου δεσπότου κελευσμάτων

ἠθροῦμεν· ἐν δὲ λοισθίῳ τυμβεύματι
1220

τὴν μὲν κρεμαστὴν αὐχένος κατείδομεν,

βρόχῳ μιτώδει σινδόνος καθημμένην,

τὸν δ᾽ ἀμφὶ μέσσῃ περιπετῆ προσκείμενον,

εὐνῆς ἀποιμώζοντα τῆς κάτω φθορὰν

καὶ πατρὸς ἔργα καὶ τὸ δύστηνον λέχος.
1225

ὁ δ᾽ ὡς ὁρᾷ σφε, στυγνὸν οἰμώξας ἔσω

χωρεῖ πρὸς αὐτὸν κἀνακωκύσας καλεῖ·

ὦ τλῆμον, οἷον ἔργον εἴργασαι· τίνα

νοῦν ἔσχες; ἐν τῷ συμφορᾶς διεφθάρης ;

ἔξελθε, τέκνον, ἱκέσιός σε λίσσομαι.
1230

τὸν δ᾽ ἀγρίοις ὄσσοισι παπτήνας ὁ παῖς,

πτύσας προσώπῳ κοὐδὲν ἀντειπών, ξίφους

ἕλκει διπλοῦς κνώδοντας· ἐκ δ᾽ ὁρμωμένου

πατρὸς φυγαῖσιν ἤμπλακ᾽· εἶθ᾽ ὁ δύσμορος

αὑτῷ χολωθείς, ὥσπερ εἶχ᾽, ἐπενταθεὶς
1235

ἤρεισε πλευραῖς μέσσον ἔγχος· ἐς δ᾽ ὑγρὸν

ἀγκῶν᾽ ἔτ᾽ ἔμφρων παρθένῳ προσπτύσσεται·

καὶ φυσιῶν ὀξεῖαν ἐκβάλλει ῥοὴν

λευκῇ παρειᾷ φοινίου σταλάγματος.

κεῖται δὲ νεκρὸς περὶ νεκρῷ, τὰ νυμφικὰ
1240

τέλη λαχὼν δείλαιος ἔν γ᾽ Ἅιδου δόμοις,

δείξας ἐν ἀνθρώποισι τὴν ἀβουλίαν

ὅσῳ μέγιστον ἀνδρὶ πρόσκειται κακόν.

Χορός

τί τοῦτ᾽ ἂν εἰκάσειας; ἡ γυνὴ πάλιν

φρούδη, πρὶν εἰπεῖν ἐσθλὸν ἢ κακὸν λόγον.
1245

Ἄγγελος

καὐτὸς τεθάμβηκ᾽· ἐλπίσιν δὲ βόσκομαι

ἄχη τέκνου κλύουσαν ἐς πόλιν γόους

οὐκ ἀξιώσειν, ἀλλ᾽ ὑπὸ στέγης ἔσω

δμωαῖς προθήσειν πένθος οἰκεῖον στένειν.

γνώμης γὰρ οὐκ ἄπειρος, ὥσθ᾽ ἁμαρτάνειν.
1250

Χορός

οὐκ οἶδ᾽· ἐμοὶ δ᾽ οὖν ἥ τ᾿ ἄγαν σιγὴ βαρὺ

δοκεῖ προσεῖναι χἡ μάτην πολλὴ βοή.

Ἄγγελος

ἀλλ᾽ εἰσόμεσθα, μή τι καὶ κατάσχετον

κρυφῇ καλύπτει καρδίᾳ θυμουμένῃ,

δόμους παραστείχοντες· εὖ γὰρ οὖν λέγεις·
1255

καὶ τῆς ἄγαν γάρ ἐστί που σιγῆς βάρος.

Χορός

καὶ μὴν ὅδ᾽ ἄναξ αὐτὸς ἐφήκει

μνῆμ᾽ ἐπίσημον διὰ χειρὸς ἔχων,

εἰ θέμις εἰπεῖν, οὐκ ἀλλοτρίαν

ἄτην, ἀλλ᾽ αὐτὸς ἁμαρτών.
1260

Κρέων
1

ἰὼ 1

φρενῶν δυσφρόνων ἁμαρτήματα 2

στερεὰ θανατόεντ᾽ · 3

ὦ κτανόντας τε καὶ 4

θανόντας βλέποντες ἐμφυλίους· 5

ὤμοι ἐμῶν ἄνολβα βουλευμάτων. 6
1265

ἰὼ παῖ, νέος νέῳ ξὺν μόρῳ, 7

αἰαῖ αἰαῖ, 8

ἔθανες, ἀπελύθης, 9

ἐμαῖς οὐδὲ σαῖσι δυσβουλίαις. 10

Χορός

οἵμ᾽ ὡς ἔοικας ὀψὲ τὴν δίκην ἰδεῖν.
1270

Κρέων
2

οἴμοι, 1

ἔχω μαθὼν δείλαιος· ἐν δ᾽ ἐμῷ κάρᾳ 2

θεὸς τότ᾽ ἄρα τότε μέγα βάρος μ᾽ ἔχων 3

ἔπαισεν, ἐν δ᾽ ἔσεισεν ἀγρίαις ὁδοῖς, 4

οἴμοι, λακπάτητον ἀντρέπων χαράν. 5
1275

φεῦ φεῦ, ὦ πόνοι βροτῶν δύσπονοι. 6

Ἐξάγγελος

ὦ δέσποθ᾽, ὡς ἔχων τε καὶ κεκτημένος,

τὰ μὲν πρὸ χειρῶν τάδε φέρων, τὰ δ᾽ ἐν δόμοις

ἔοικας ἥκειν καὶ τάχ᾽ ὄψεσθαι κακά.
1280

Κρέων

τί δ᾽ ἔστιν αὖ κάκιον ἐκ κακῶν ἔτι;

Ἐξάγγελος

γυνὴ τέθνηκε, τοῦδε παμμήτωρ νεκροῦ,

δύστηνος, ἄρτι νεοτόμοισι πλήγμασιν.

Κρέων
1

ἰώ, 1

ἰὼ δυσκάθαρτος Ἅιδου λιμήν, 2

τί μ᾽ ἄρα τί μ᾽ ὀλέκεις; 3
1285

ὦ κακάγγελτά μοι 4

προπέμψας ἄχη, τίνα θροεῖς λόγον; 5

αἰαῖ, ὀλωλότ᾽ ἄνδρ᾽ ἐπεξειργάσω. 6

τί φής, ὦ παῖ, τίνα λέγεις μοι νέον, 7

αἰαῖ αἰαῖ, 8
1290

σφάγιον ἐπ’ ὀλέθρῳ 9

γυναικεῖον ἀμφικεῖσθαι μόρον; 10

Χορός

ὁρᾶν πάρεστιν· οὐ γὰρ ἐν μυχοῖς ἔτι.

Κρέων
2

οἴμοι, 1

κακὸν τόδ᾽ ἄλλο δεύτερον βλέπω τάλας. 2
1295

τίς ἄρα, τίς με πότμος ἔτι περιμένει; 3

ἔχω μὲν ἐν χείρεσσιν ἀρτίως τέκνον, 4

τάλας, τὸν δ᾽ ἔναντα προσβλέπω νεκρόν, 5

φεῦ φεῦ μᾶτερ ἀθλία, φεῦ τέκνον. 6
1300

Ἐξάγγελος

ἥδ᾽ ὀξυθήκτῳ βωμία περὶ ξίφει

λύει κελαινὰ βλέφαρα, κωκύσασα μὲν

τοῦ πρὶν θανόντος Μεγαρέως κλεινὸν λάχος,

αὖθις δὲ τοῦδε, λοίσθιον δὲ σοὶ κακὰς

πράξεις ἐφυμνήσασα τῷ παιδοκτόνῳ.
1305

Κρέων
3

αἰαῖ αἰαῖ, 1

ἀνέπταν φόβῳ. τί μ᾽ οὐκ ἀνταίαν 2

ἔπαισέν τις ἀμφιθήκτῳ ξίφει; 3

δείλαιος ἐγώ, αἰαῖ, 4
1310

δειλαίᾳ δὲ συγκέκραμαι δύᾳ. 5

Ἐξάγγελος

ὡς αἰτίαν γε τῶνδε κἀκείνων ἔχων

πρὸς τῆς θανούσης τῆσδ᾽ ἐπεσκήπτου μόρων.

Κρέων

ποίῳ δὲ κἀπελύσατ᾽ ἐν φοναῖς τρόπῳ;

Ἐξάγγελος

παίσασ᾽ ὑφ᾽ ἧπαρ αὐτόχειρ αὑτήν, ὅπως
1315

παιδὸς τόδ᾽ ᾔσθετ᾽ ὀξυκώκυτον πάθος.

Κρέων
4

ὤμοι μοι, τάδ᾽ οὐκ ἐπ᾿ ἄλλον βροτῶν 1

ἐμᾶς ἁρμόσει ποτ᾽ ἐξ αἰτίας. 2

ἐγὼ γάρ σ᾽ ἐγὼ ἔκανον, ὢ μέλεος, 3

ἐγώ, φάμ’ ἔτυμον. ἰὼ πρόσπολοι, 4
1320

ἄγετέ μ᾽ ὅ τι τάχιστ᾽, ἄγετέ μ᾽ ἐκποδών, 5

τὸν οὐκ ὄντα μᾶλλον ἢ μηδένα. 6

Χορός

κέρδη παραινεῖς, εἴ τι κέρδος ἐν κακοῖς·

βράχιστα γὰρ κράτιστα τἀν ποσὶν κακά.

Κρέων
3

ἴτω ἴτω, 1
1325

φανήτω μόρων ὁ κάλλιστ᾽ ἔχων 2

ἐμοί, τερμίαν ἄγων ἁμέραν, 3
1330

ὕπατος· ἴτω ἴτω, 4

ὅπως μηκέτ᾽ ἆμαρ ἄλλ᾽ εἰσίδω. 5

Χορός

μέλλοντα ταῦτα· τῶν προκειμένων τι χρὴ

πράσσειν· μέλει γὰρ τῶνδ᾽ ὅτοισι χρὴ μέλειν.
1335

Κρέων

ἀλλ᾽ ὧν ἐρῶ μέν, ταῦτα συγκατηυξάμην.

Χορός

μή νυν προσεύχου μηδέν· ὡς πεπρωμένης

οὐκ ἔστι θνητοῖς συμφορᾶς ἀπαλλαγή.

Κρέων
4

ἄγοιτ᾽ ἂν μάταιον ἄνδρ᾽ ἐκποδών, 1

ὅς, ὦ παῖ, σέ τ᾽ οὐχ ἑκὼν κατέκανον 2
1340

σέ τ᾽ αὖ τάνδ᾽, ὤμοι μέλεος· οὐδ᾽ ἔχω 3

πρὸς πότερον ἴδω, πᾷ κλιθῶ· πάντα γὰρ 4

λέχρια τἀν χεροῖν, τὰ δ᾽ ἐπὶ κρατί μοι 5
1345

πότμος δυσκόμιστος εἰσήλατο. 6

Χορός

πολλῷ τὸ φρονεῖν εὐδαιμονίας

πρῶτον ὑπάρχει· χρὴ δὲ τά γ᾽ εἰς θεοὺς

μηδὲν ἀσεπτεῖν· μεγάλοι δὲ λόγοι
1350

μεγάλας πληγὰς τῶν ὑπεραύχων

ἀποτείσαντες

γήρᾳ τὸ φρονεῖν ἐδίδαξαν.

Greek (A. C. Pearson, 1924) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (A. C. Pearson, 1924)) — 1219 focus

τάδ᾽ ἐξ ἀθύμου δεσπότου κελευσμάτων

ἠθροῦμεν· ἐν δὲ λοισθίῳ τυμβεύματι
1220

τὴν μὲν κρεμαστὴν αὐχένος κατείδομεν,

βρόχῳ μιτώδει σινδόνος καθημμένην,

τὸν δ᾽ ἀμφὶ μέσσῃ περιπετῆ προσκείμενον,

εὐνῆς ἀποιμώζοντα τῆς κάτω φθορὰν

καὶ πατρὸς ἔργα καὶ τὸ δύστηνον λέχος.
1225

ὁ δ᾽ ὡς ὁρᾷ σφε, στυγνὸν οἰμώξας ἔσω

χωρεῖ πρὸς αὐτὸν κἀνακωκύσας καλεῖ·

ὦ τλῆμον, οἷον ἔργον εἴργασαι· τίνα

νοῦν ἔσχες; ἐν τῷ συμφορᾶς διεφθάρης;

ἔξελθε, τέκνον, ἱκέσιός σε λίσσομαι.
1230

τὸν δ᾽ ἀγρίοις ὄσσοισι παπτήνας ὁ παῖς,

πτύσας προσώπῳ κοὐδὲν ἀντειπών, ξίφους

ἕλκει διπλοῦς κνώδοντας, ἐκ δ᾽ ὁρμωμένου

πατρὸς φυγαῖσιν ἤμπλακ᾽· εἶθ᾽ ὁ δύσμορος

αὑτῷ χολωθείς, ὥσπερ εἶχ᾽, ἐπενταθεὶς
1235

ἤρεισε πλευραῖς μέσσον ἔγχος, ἐς δ᾽ ὑγρὸν

ἀγκῶν᾽ ἔτ᾽ ἔμφρων παρθένῳ προσπτύσσεται·

καὶ φυσιῶν ὀξεῖαν ἐκβάλλει ῥοὴν

λευκῇ παρειᾷ φοινίου σταλάγματος.

κεῖται δὲ νεκρὸς περὶ νεκρῷ, τὰ νυμφικὰ
1240

τέλη λαχὼν δείλαιος εἰν Ἅιδου δόμοις,

δείξας ἐν ἀνθρώποισι τὴν ἀβουλίαν

ὅσῳ μέγιστον ἀνδρὶ πρόσκειται κακόν.

Χορός

τί τοῦτ᾽ ἂν εἰκάσειας; ἡ γυνὴ πάλιν

φρούδη, πρὶν εἰπεῖν ἐσθλὸν ἢ κακὸν λόγον.
1245

Ἄγγελος

καὐτὸς τεθάμβηκ᾽· ἐλπίσιν δὲ βόσκομαι

ἄχη τέκνου κλύουσαν ἐς πόλιν γόου

οὐκ ἀξιώσειν, ἀλλ᾽ ὑπὸ στέγης ἔσω

δμωαῖς προθήσειν πένθος οἰκεῖον στένειν.

γνώμης γὰρ οὐκ ἄπειρος, ὥσθ᾽ ἁμαρτάνειν.
1250

Χορός

οὐκ οἶδ᾽. ἐμοὶ δ᾽ οὖν ἥ τ᾽ ἄγαν σιγὴ βαρὺ

δοκεῖ προσεῖναι χἡ μάτην πολλὴ βοή.

Ἄγγελος

ἀλλ᾽ εἰσόμεσθα, μή τι καὶ κατάσχετον

κρυφῇ καλύπτει καρδίᾳ θυμουμένῃ,

δόμους παραστείχοντες· εὖ γὰρ οὖν λέγεις.
1255

καὶ τῆς ἄγαν γάρ ἐστί που σιγῆς βάρος.

Χορός

καὶ μὴν ὅδ᾽ ἄναξ αὐτὸς ἐφήκει

μνῆμ᾽ ἐπίσημον διὰ χειρὸς ἔχων,

εἰ θέμις εἰπεῖν, οὐκ ἀλλοτρίαν

ἄτην, ἀλλ᾽ αὐτὸς ἁμαρτών.
1260

Κρέων

ἰὼ φρενῶν δυσφρόνων ἁμαρτήματα

στερεὰ θανατόεντ᾽,

ὦ κτανόντας τε καὶ

θανόντας βλέποντες ἐμφυλίους.

ὤμοι ἐμῶν ἄνολβα βουλευμάτων.
1265

ἰὼ παῖ, νέος νέῳ ξὺν μόρῳ,

αἰαῖ αἰαῖ,

ἔθανες, ἀπελύθης,

ἐμαῖς οὐδὲ σαῖσι δυσβουλίαις.

Χορός

οἴμ᾽ ὡς ἔοικας ὀψὲ τὴν δίκην ἰδεῖν.
1270

Κρέων

οἴμοι,

ἔχω μαθὼν δείλαιος· ἐν δ᾽ ἐμῷ κάρᾳ

θεὸς τότ᾽ ἄρα τότε μέγα βάρος μ᾽ ἔχων

ἔπαισεν, ἐν δ᾽ ἔσεισεν ἀγρίαις ὁδοῖς,

οἴμοι λακπάτητον ἀντρέπων χαράν.
1275

φεῦ φεῦ, ἰὼ πόνοι βροτῶν δύσπονοι.

Ἐξάγγελος

ὦ δέσποθ᾽, ὡς ἔχων τε καὶ κεκτημένος,

τὰ μὲν πρὸ χειρῶν τάδε φέρειν, τὰ δ᾽ ἐν δόμοις

ἔοικας ἥκων καὶ τάχ᾽ ὄψεσθαι κακά.
1280

Κρέων

τί δ᾽; ἔστιν αὖ κάκιον ἦ κακῶν ἔτι;

Ἐξάγγελος

γυνὴ τέθνηκε, τοῦδε παμμήτωρ νεκροῦ,

δύστηνος, ἄρτι νεοτόμοισι πλήγμασιν.

Κρέων

ἰώ, ἰὼ δυσκάθαρτος Ἅιδου λιμήν,

τί μ᾽ ἄρα τί μ᾽ ὀλέκεις;
1285

ὦ κακάγγελτά μοι

προπέμψας ἄχη, τίνα θροεῖς λόγον;

αἰαῖ, ὀλωλότ᾽ ἄνδρ᾽ ἐπεξειργάσω.

τί φής, ὦ παῖ, τίνα λέγεις μοι νέον,

αἰαῖ αἰαῖ,
1290

σφάγιον ἐπ᾽ ὀλέθρῳ,

γυναικεῖον ἀμφικεῖσθαι μόρον;

Χορός

ὁρᾶν πάρεστιν· οὐ γὰρ ἐν μυχοῖς ἔτι.

Κρέων

οἴμοι,

κακὸν τόδ᾽ ἄλλο δεύτερον βλέπω τάλας.
1295

τίς ἄρα, τίς με πότμος ἔτι περιμένει;

ἔχω μὲν ἐν χείρεσσιν ἀρτίως τέκνον,

τάλας, τὸν δ᾽ ἔναντα προσβλέπω νεκρόν.

φεῦ φεῦ μᾶτερ ἀθλία, φεῦ τέκνον.
1300

Ἐξάγγελος

ἣ δ᾽ ὀξύπληκτος ἡμένη δὲ βωμία

λύει κελαινὰ βλέφαρα, κωκύσασα μὲν

τοῦ πρὶν θανόντος Μεγαρέως κενὸν λέχος,

αὖθις δὲ τοῦδε, λοίσθιον δὲ σοὶ κακὰς

πράξεις ἐφυμνήσασα τῷ παιδοκτόνῳ.
1305

Κρέων

αἰαῖ αἰαῖ,

ἀνέπταν φόβῳ. τί μ᾽ οὐκ ἀνταίαν

ἔπαισέν τις ἀμφιθήκτῳ ξίφει;

δείλαιος ἐγώ, αἰαῖ,
1310

δειλαίᾳ δὲ συγκέκραμαι δύᾳ.

Ἐξάγγελος

ὡς αἰτίαν γε τῶνδε κἀκείνων ἔχων

πρὸς τῆς θανούσης τῆσδ᾽ ἐπεσκήπτου μόρων.

Κρέων

ποίῳ δὲ κἀπελύετ᾽ ἐν φοναῖς τρόπῳ;

Ἐξάγγελος

παίσασ᾽ ὑφ᾽ ἧπαρ αὐτόχειρ αὑτήν, ὅπως
1315

παιδὸς τόδ᾽ ᾔσθετ᾽ ὀξυκώκυτον πάθος.

Κρέων

ὤμοι μοι, τάδ᾽ οὐκ ἐπ᾽ ἄλλον βροτῶν

ἐμᾶς ἁρμόσει ποτ᾽ ἐξ αἰτίας.

ἐγὼ γάρ σ᾽ ἐγὼ ᾽κανον, ἰὼ μέλεος,

ἐγώ, φάμ᾽ ἔτυμον. ἰὼ πρόσπολοι,
1320

ἀπάγετέ μ᾽ ὅτι τάχος, ἄγετέ μ᾽ ἐκποδών,

τὸν οὐκ ὄντα μᾶλλον ἢ μηδένα.
1325

Χορός

κέρδη παραινεῖς, εἴ τι κέρδος ἐν κακοῖς·

βράχιστα γὰρ κράτιστα τἀν ποσὶν κακά.

Κρέων

ἴτω ἴτω,

φανήτω μόρων ὁ κάλλιστ᾽ ἐμῶν

ἐμοὶ τερμίαν ἄγων ἁμέραν
1330

ὕπατος· ἴτω ἴτω,

ὅπως μηκέτ᾽ ἆμαρ ἄλλ᾽ εἰσίδω.

Χορός

μέλλοντα ταῦτα. τῶν προκειμένων τι χρὴ

πράσσειν. μέλει γὰρ τῶνδ᾽ ὅτοισι χρὴ μέλειν.
1335

Κρέων

ἀλλ᾽ ὧν ἐρῶμεν ταῦτα συγκατηυξάμην.

Χορός

μή νυν προσεύχου μηδέν· ὡς πεπρωμένης

οὐκ ἔστι θνητοῖς συμφορᾶς ἀπαλλαγή.

Κρέων

ἄγοιτ᾽ ἂν μάταιον ἄνδρ᾽ ἐκποδών,

ὅς, ὦ παῖ, σέ τ' οὐχ ἑκὼν κατέκανον
1340

σέ τ᾽ αὖ τάνδ᾽, ὤμοι μέλεος, οὐδ᾽ ἔχω

πρὸς πότερον ἴδω, πᾷ κλιθῶ· πάντα γὰρ

λέχρια τἀν χεροῖν, τὰ δ᾽ ἐπὶ κρατί μοι
1345

πότμος δυσκόμιστος εἰσήλατο.

Χορός

πολλῷ τὸ φρονεῖν εὐδαιμονίας

πρῶτον ὑπάρχει· χρὴ δὲ τά γ᾽ ἐς θεοὺς

μηδὲν ἀσεπτεῖν· μεγάλοι δὲ λόγοι
1350

μεγάλας πληγὰς τῶν ὑπεραύχων

ἀποτείσαντες

γήρᾳ τὸ φρονεῖν ἐδίδαξαν.

Antigone (OCR draft) Experimental (Antigone) — 1219 focus

Ἄγγελος

τάδʼ ἐξ ἀθύμου δεσπότου κελευσμάτων

ἠθροῦμεν· ἐν δὲ λοισθίῳ τυμβεύματι
1220

τὴν μὲν κρεμαστὴν αὐχένος κατείδομεν,

βρόχῳ μιτώδει σινδόνος καθημμένην,

τὸν δʼ ἀμφὶ μέσσῃ περιπετῆ προσκείμενον,

εὐνῆς ἀποιμώζοντα τῆς κάτω φθορὰν

καὶ πατρὸς ἔργα καὶ τὸ δύστηνον λέχος.
1225

ὁ δʼ ὡς ὁρᾷ σφε, στυγνὸν οἰμώξας ἔσω

χωρεῖ πρὸς αὐτὸν κἀνακωκύσας καλεῖ·

ὦ τλῆμον, οἷον ἔργον εἴργασαι· τίνα

νοῦν ἔσχες; ἐν τῷ συμφορᾶς διεφθάρης;

ἔξελθε, τέκνον, ἱκέσιός σε λίσσομαι.
1230

τὸν δʼ ἀγρίοις ὄσσοισι παπτήνας ὁ παῖς,

πτύσας προσώπῳ κοὐδὲν ἀντειπών, ξίφους

ἕλκει διπλοῦς κνώδοντας. ἐκ δʼ ὁρμωμένου

πατρὸς φυγαῖσιν ἤμπλακʼ· εἶθʼ ὁ δύσμορος

αὑτῷ χολωθείς, ὥσπερ εἶχʼ, ἐπενταθεὶς
1235

ἤρεισε πλευραῖς μέσσον ἔγχος, ἐς δʼ ὑγρὸν

ἀγκῶνʼ ἔτʼ ἔμφρων παρθένῳ προσπτύσσεται.

καὶ φυσιῶν ὀξεῖαν ἐκβάλλει ῥοὴν

λευκῇ παρειᾷ φοινίου σταλάγματος.

κεῖται δὲ νεκρὸς περὶ νεκρῷ, τὰ νυμφικὰ
1240

τέλη λαχὼν δείλαιος εἰν Ἅιδου δόμοις,

δείξας ἐν ἀνθρώποισι τὴν ἀβουλίαν

ὅσῳ μέγιστον ἀνδρὶ πρόσκειται κακόν.

Χορός

τί τοῦτʼ ἂν εἰκάσειας; ἡ γυνὴ πάλιν

φρούδη, πρὶν εἰπεῖν ἐσθλὸν ἢ κακὸν λόγον.
1245

Ἄγγελος

καὐτὸς τεθάμβηκʼ· ἐλπίσιν δὲ βόσκομαι

ἄχη τέκνου κλύουσαν ἐς πόλιν γόους

οὐκ ἀξιώσειν, ἀλλʼ ὑπὸ στέγης ἔσω

δμωαῖς προθήσειν πένθος οἰκεῖον στένειν.

γνώμης γὰρ οὐκ ἄπειρος, ὥσθʼ ἁμαρτάνειν.
1250

Χορός

οὐκ οἶδʼ· ἐμοὶ δʼ οὖν ἥ τʼ ἄγαν σιγὴ βαρὺ

δοκεῖ προσεῖναι χἠ μάτην πολλὴ βοή.

Ἄγγελος

ἀλλʼ εἰσόμεσθα, μή τι καὶ κατάσχετον

κρυφῇ καλύπτει καρδίᾳ θυμουμένῃ,

δόμους παραστείχοντες· εὖ γὰρ οὖν λέγεις.
1255

καὶ τῆς ἄγαν γάρ ἐστί που σιγῆς βάρος.

Χορός

καὶ μὴν ὅδʼ ἄναξ αὐτὸς ἐφήκει

μνῆμʼ ἐπίσημον διὰ χειρὸς ἔχων,

εἰ θέμις εἰπεῖν, οὐκ ἀλλοτρίαν

ἄτην, ἀλλʼ αὐτὸς ἁμαρτών.
1260

Κρέων

ἰὼ

φρενῶν δυσφρόνων ἁμαρτήματα

στερεὰ θανατόεντʼ,

ὦ κτανόντας τε καὶ

θανόντας βλέποντες ἐμφυλίους.

ὤμοι ἐμῶν ἄνολβα βουλευμάτων.
1265

ἰὼ παῖ, νέος νέῳ ξὺν μόρῳ

αἰαῖ αἰαῖ,

ἔθανες, ἀπελύθης

ἐμαῖς οὐδὲ σαῖσι δυσβουλίαις.

Χορός

οἴμʼ ὡς ἔοικας ὀψὲ τὴν δίκην ἰδεῖν.
1270

Κρέων

οἴμοι,

ἔχω μαθὼν δείλαιος· ἐν δʼ ἐμῷ κάρᾳ

θεὸς τότʼ ἄρα τότε μέγα βάρος μʼ ἔχων

ἔπαισεν, ἐν δʼ ἔσεισεν ἀγρίαις ὁδοῖς,

οἴμοι, λακπάτητον ἀντρέπων χαράν.
1275

φεῦ φεῦ, ὦ πόνοι βροτῶν δύσπονοι.

Ἐξάγγελος

ὦ δέσποθʼ, ὡς ἔχων τε καὶ κεκτημένος,

τὰ μὲν πρὸ χειρῶν τάδε φέρων, τὰ δʼ ἐν δόμοις

ἔοικας ἥκειν καὶ τάχʼ ὄψεσθαι κακά.
1280

Κρέων

τί δʼ ἔστιν αὖ κάκιον ἐκ κακῶν ἔτι;

Ἐξάγγελος

γυνὴ τέθνηκε, τοῦδε παμμήτωρ νεκροῦ,

δύστηνος, ἄρτι νεοτόμοισι πλήγμασιν.

Κρέων

ἰώ.

ἰὼ δυσκάθαρτος Ἅιδου λιμήν,

τί μʼ ἄρα τί μʼ ὀλέκεις;
1285

ὦ κακάγγελτά μοι

προπέμψας ἄχη, τίνα θροεῖς λόγον;

αἰαῖ, ὀλωλότʼ ἄνδρʼ ἐπεξειργάσω.

τί φής, παῖ; τίνʼ αὖ λέγεις μοι νέον,

αἰαῖ αἰαῖ,
1290

σφάγιον ἐπʼ ὀλέθρῳ

γυναικεῖον ἀμφικεῖσθαι μόρον;

Χορός

ὁρᾶν πάρεστιν· οὐ γὰρ ἐν μυχοῖς ἔτι.

Κρέων

οἴμοι,

κακὸν τόδʼ ἄλλο δεύτερον βλέπω τάλας.
1295

τίς ἄρα, τίς με πότμος ἔτι περιμένει;

ἔχω μὲν ἐν χείρεσσιν ἀρτίως τέκνον,

τάλας, τὸν δʼ ἔναντα προσβλέπω νεκρόν.

φεῦ φεῦ μᾶτερ ἀθλία, φεῦ τέκνον.
1300

Ἐξάγγελος

ἡ δʼ ὀξυθήκτῳ βωμία περὶ ξίφει

λύει κελαινὰ βλέφαρα, κωκύσασα μὲν

τοῦ πρὶν θανόντος Μεγαρέως κλεινὸν λάχος,

αὖθις δὲ τοῦδε, λοίσθιον δὲ σοὶ κακὰς

πράξεις ἐφυμνήσασα τῷ παιδοκτόνῳ.
1305

Κρέων

αἰαῖ αἰαῖ,

ἀνέπταν φόβῳ. τί μʼ οὐκ ἀνταίαν

ἔπαισέν τις ἀμφιθήκτῳ ξίφει;

δείλαιος ἐγώ, αἰαῖ,
1310

δειλαίᾳ δὲ συγκέκραμαι δύᾳ.

Ἐξάγγελος

ὡς αἰτίαν γε τῶνδε κἀκείνων ἔχων

πρὸς τῆς θανούσης τῆσδʼ ἐπεσκήπτου μόρων.

Κρέων

ποίῳ δὲ κἀπελύσατʼ ἐν φοναῖς τρόπῳ;

Ἐξάγγελος

παίσασ' ὑφʼ ἧπαρ αὐτόχειρ αὑτήν, ὅπως
1315

παιδὸς τόδʼ ᾔσθετʼ ὀξυκώκυτον πάθος.

Κρέων

ὤμοι μοι, τάδʼ οὐκ ἐπʼ ἄλλον βροτῶν

ἐμᾶς ἁρμόσει ποτʼ ἐξ αἰτίας.

ἐγὼ γάρ σʼ ἐγὼ ἔκανον, ὢ μέλεος,

ἐγώ, φάμʼ ἔτυμον. ἰὼ πρόσπολοι,
1320

ἄγετέ μʼ ὅ τι τάχιστʼ, ἄγετέ μʼ ἐκποδών,

τὸν οὐκ ὄντα μᾶλλον ἢ μηδένα.
1325

Χορός

κέρδη παραινεῖς, εἴ τι κέρδος ἐν κακοῖς.

βράχιστα γὰρ κράτιστα τἀν ποσὶν κακά.

Κρέων

ἴτω ἴτω,

φανήτω μόρων ὁ κάλλιστʼ ἔχων

ἐμοὶ τερμίαν ἄγων ἁμέραν
1330

ὕπατος· ἴτω ἴτω,

ὅπως μηκέτʼ ἆμαρ ἄλλʼ εἰσίδω.

Χορός

μέλλοντα ταῦτα. τῶν προκειμένων τι χρὴ

πράσσειν. μέλει γὰρ τῶνδʼ ὅτοισι χρὴ μέλειν.
1335

Κρέων

ἀλλʼ ὧν ἐρῶ, τοιαῦτα συγκατηυξάμην.

Χορός

μή νυν προσεύχου μηδέν· ὡς πεπρωμένης

οὐκ ἔστι θνητοῖς συμφορᾶς ἀπαλλαγή.

Κρέων

ἄγοιτʼ ἂν μάταιον ἄνδρʼ ἐκποδών,

ὅς, ὦ παῖ, σέ τʼ οὐχ ἑκὼν κάκτανον
1340

σέ τʼ αὖ τάνδʼ, ὤμοι μέλεος, οὐδʼ ἔχω

ὅπᾳ πρὸς πότερα κλιθῶ· πάντα γὰρ

λέχρια τἀν χεροῖν, τὰ δʼ ἐπὶ κρατί μοι
1345

πότμος δυσκόμιστος εἰσήλατο.

Χορός

πολλῷ τὸ φρονεῖν εὐδαιμονίας

πρῶτον ὑπάρχει. χρὴ δὲ τά γʼ εἰς θεοὺς

μηδὲν ἀσεπτεῖν. μεγάλοι δὲ λόγοι
1350

μεγάλας πληγὰς τῶν ὑπεραύχων

ἀποτίσαντες

γήρᾳ τὸ φρονεῖν ἐδίδαξαν.

Greek (K. Reinhardt, 1949) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (K. Reinhardt, 1949)) — 1219 focus

τάδ᾽ ἐξ ἀθύμου δεσπότου κελευσμάτων

ἠθροῦμεν· ἐν δὲ λοισθίωι τυμβεύματι
1220

τὴν μὲν κρεμαστὴν αὐχένος κατείδομεν,

βρόχωι μιτώδει σινδόνος καθημμένην,

τὸν δ᾽ ἀμφὶ μέσσηι περιπετῆ προσκείμενον,

εὐνῆς ἀποιμώζοντα τῆς κάτω φθορὰν

καὶ πατρὸς ἔργα καὶ τὸ δύστηνον λέχος.
1225

ὁ δ᾽ ὡς ὁρᾶι σφε, στυγνὸν οἰμώξας ἔσω

χωρεῖ πρὸς αὐτὸν κἀνακωκύσας καλεῖ·

ὦ τλῆμον, οἷον ἔργον εἴργασαι; τίνα

νοῦν ἔσχες; ἐν τῶι συμφορᾶς διεφθάρης;

ἔξελθε, τέκνον, ἱκέσιός σε λίσσομαι.
1230

τὸν δ᾽ ἀγρίοις ὄσσοισι παπτήνας ὁ παῖς,

πτύσας προσώπωι κοὐδὲν ἀντειπών, ξίφους

ἕλκει διπλοῦς κνώδοντας, ἐκ δ᾽ ὁρμωμένου

πατρὸς φυγαῖσιν ἤμπλακ᾽· εἶθ᾽ ὁ δύσμορος

αὑτῶι χολωθείς, ὥσπερ εἶχ᾽, ἐπενταθεὶς
1235

ἤρεισε πλευραῖς μέσσον ἔγχος, ἐς δ᾽ ὑγρὸν

ἀγκῶν᾽ ἔτ᾽ ἔμφρων παρθένωι προσπτύσσεται·

καὶ φυσιῶν ὀξεῖαν ἐκβάλλει ῥοὴν

λευκῆι παρειᾶι φοινίου σταλάγματος.

κεῖται δὲ νεκρὸς περὶ νεκρῶι, τὰ νυμφικὰ
1240

τέλη λαχὼν δείλαιος εἰν Ἅιδου δόμοις,

δείξας ἐν ἀνθρώποισι τὴν ἀβουλίαν

ὅσωι μέγιστον ἀνδρὶ πρόσκειται κακόν.

Χορός

τί τοῦτ᾽ ἂν εἰκάσειας; ἡ γυνὴ πάλιν

φρούδη, πρὶν εἰπεῖν ἐσθλὸν ἢ κακὸν λόγον.
1245

Ἄγγελος

καὐτὸς τεθάμβηκ᾽· ἐλπίσιν δὲ βόσκομαι

ἄχη τέκνου κλύουσαν ἐς πόλιν γόους

οὐκ ἀξιώσειν, ἀλλ᾽ ὑπὸ στέγης ἔσω

δμωαῖς προθήσειν πένθος οἰκεῖον στένειν.

γνώμης γὰρ οὐκ ἄπειρος, ὥσθ᾽ ἁμαρτάνειν.
1250

Χορός

οὐκ οἶδ'· ἐμοὶ δ᾽ οὖν ἥ τ᾽ ἄγαν σιγὴ βαρὺ

δοκεῖ προσεῖναι χἠ μάτην πολλὴ βοή.

Ἄγγελος

ἀλλ᾽ εἰσόμεσθα, μή τι καὶ κατάσχετον

κρυφῆι καλύπτει καρδίαι θυμουμένηι,

δόμους παραστείχοντες. εὖ γὰρ οὖν λέγεις·
1255

καὶ τῆς ἄγαν γάρ ἐστί που σιγῆς βάρος.

Χορός

καὶ μὴν ὅδ᾽ ἄναξ αὐτὸς ἐφήκει

μνῆμ᾽ ἐπίσημον διὰ χειρὸς ἔχων,

εἰ θέμις εἰπεῖν, οὐκ ἀλλοτρίαν

ἄτην, ἀλλ᾽ αὐτὸς ἁμαρτών.
1260

Κρέων

ἰὼ φρενῶν δυσφρόνων ἁμαρτήματα

στερεὰ θανατόεντ᾽,

ὦ κτανόντας τε καὶ

θανόντας βλέποντες ἐμφυλίους.

ὤμοι ἐμῶν ἄνολβα βουλευμάτων.
1265

ἰὼ παῖ, νέος νέωι ξὺν μόρωι,

αἷαῖ αἰαῖ,

ἔθανες, ἀπελύθης,

ἐμαῖς οὐδὲ σαῖσι δυσβουλίαις.

Χορός

οἴμ᾽ ὡς ἔοικας ὀψὲ τὴν δίκην ἰδεῖν.
1270

Κρέων

οἴμοι,

ἔχω μαθὼν δείλαιος· ἐν δ᾽ ἐμῶι κάραι

θεὸς τότ᾽ ἄρα τότε μέγα βάρος μ᾽ ἔχων

ἔπαισεν, ἐν δ᾽ ἔσεισεν ἀγρίαις ὁδοῖς,

οἴμοι, λακπάτητον ἀντρέπων χαράν.
1275

φεῦ φεῦ, ἰὼ πόνοι βροτῶν δύσπονοι.

Ἄγγελος

ὦ δέσποθ᾽, ὡς ἔχων τε καὶ κεκτημένος,

τὰ μὲν πρὸ χειρῶν τάδε φέρων, τὰ δ᾽ ἐν δόμοις

ἔοικας ἥκειν καὶ τάχ᾽ ὄψεσθαι κακά.
1280

Κρέων

τί δ᾽ ἔστιν αὖ; κάκιον ἦ κακῶν ἔτι;

Ἄγγελος

γυνὴ τέθνηκε, τοῦδε παμμήτωρ νεκροῦ,

δύστηνος, ἄρτι νεοτόμοισι πλήγμασιν.

Κρέων

ἰὼ ἰὼ δυσκάθαρτος Ἅιδου λιμήν,

τί μ᾽ ἄρα τί μ᾽ ὀλέκεις;
1285

ὦ κακάγγελτά μοι

προπέμψας ἄχη, τίνα θροεῖς λόγον;

αἰαῖ, ὀλωλότ᾽ ἄνδρ᾽ ἐπεξειργάσω.

τί φής, παῖ; τίν᾽ αὖ λέγεις μοι νέον,

αἰαῖ αἰαῖ,
1290

σφάγιον ἐπ᾽ ὀλέθρωι

γυναικεῖον ἀμφικεῖσθαι μόρον;

Χορός

ὁρᾶν πάρεστιν· οὐ γὰρ ἐν μυχοῖς ἔτι.

Κρέων

οἴμοι,

κακὸν τόδ᾽ ἄλλο δεύτερον βλέπω τάλας.
1295

τίς ἄρα, τίς με πότμος ἔτι περιμένει;

ἔχω μὲν ἐν χείρεσσιν ἀρτίως τέκνον,

τάλας, τὸν δ᾽ ἔναντα προσβλέπω νεκρόν.

φεῦ φεῦ μᾶτερ ἀθλία, φεῦ τέκνον.
1300

Ἄγγελος

ἥδ᾽ ὀξυθήκτωι βωμία περὶ ξίφει

λύει κελαινὰ βλέφαρα, κωκύσασα μὲν

τοῦ πρὶν θανόντος Μεγαρέως κλεινὸν λάχος,

αὖθις δὲ τοῦδε, λοίσθιον δὲ σοὶ κακὰς

πράξεις ἐφυμνήσασα τῶι παιδοκτόνωι.
1305

Κρέων

αἰαῖ αἰαῖ,

ἀνέπταν φόβωι. τί μ᾽ οὐκ ἀνταίαν

ἔπαισέν τις ἀμφιθήκτωι ξίφει;

δείλαιος ἐγώ, αἰαῖ,
1310

δειλαίαι δὲ συγκέκραμαι δύαι.

Ἄγγελος

ὡς αἰτίαν γε τῶνδε κἀκείνων ἔχων

πρὸς τῆς θανούσης τῆσδ᾽ ἐπεσκήπτου μόρων.

Κρέων

ποίωι δὲ κἀπελύσατ᾽ ἐν φοναῖς τρόπωι;

Ἄγγελος

παίσασ᾽ ὑφ᾽ ἧπαρ αὐτόχειρ αὑτήν, ὅπως
1315

παιδὸς τόδ᾽ ἤισθετ᾽ ὀξυκώκυτον πάθος.

Κρέων

ὤμοι μοι, τάδ᾽ οὐκ ἐπ᾽ ἄλλον βροτῶν

ἐμᾶς ἁρμόσει ποτ᾽ ἐξ αἰτίας.

ἐγὼ γάρ σ᾽ ἐγὼ ἔκανον, ὢ μέλεος,

ἐγώ, φάμ᾽ ἔτυμον. ἰὼ πρόσπολοι,
1320

ἄγετέ μ᾽ ὅτι τάχιστ᾽, ἄγετέ μ᾽ ἐκποδών,

τὸν οὐκ ὄντα μᾶλλον ἢ μηδένα.
1325

Χορός

κέρδη παραινεῖς, εἴ τι κέρδος ἐν κακοῖς·

βράχιστα γὰρ κράτιστα τἀν ποσὶν κακά.

Κρέων

ἴτω ἴτω,

φανήτω μόρων ὁ κάλλιστ᾽ ἐμῶν

ἐμοὶ τερμίαν ἄγων ἁμέραν
1330

ὕπατος· ἴτω ἴτω,

ὅπως μηκέτ᾽ ἆμαρ ἄλλ᾽ εἰσίδω.

Χορός

μέλλοντα ταῦτα. τῶν προκειμένων τι χρὴ

πράσσειν· μέλει γὰρ τῶνδ᾽ ὅτοισι χρὴ μέλειν.
1335

Κρέων

ἀλλ᾽ ὧν ἐρῶ μέν, ταῦτα συγκατηυξάμην.

Χορός

μή νυν προσεύχου μηδέν· ὡς πεπρωμένης

οὐκ ἔστι θνητοῖς συμφορᾶς ἀπαλλαγή.

Κρέων

ἄγοιτ᾽ ἂν μάταιον ἄνδρ᾽ ἐκποδών,

ὅς, ὦ παῖ, σέ τ᾽ οὐχ ἑκὼν κάκτανον
1340

σέ τ᾽ αὖ τάνδ᾽, ὤμοι μέλεος· οὐδ᾽ ἔχω

πρὸς πότερον ἴδω, πᾶι κλιθῶ· πάντα γὰρ

λέχρια τἀν χεροῖν, τὰ δ᾽ ἐπὶ κρατί μοι
1345

πότμος δυσκόμιστος εἰσήλατο.

Χορός

πολλῶι τὸ φρονεῖν εὐδαιμονίας

πρῶτον ὑπάρχει· χρὴ δὲ τά γ᾽ εἰς θεοὺς

μηδὲν ἀσεπτεῖν· μεγάλοι δὲ λόγοι
1350

μεγάλας πληγὰς τῶν ὑπεραύχων

ἀποτείσαντες

γήραι τὸ φρονεῖν ἐδίδαξαν.

Translations (11)

German (A. Boeckh, 1884) (OCR draft) Experimental (German (A. Boeckh, 1884)) — 1219 focus

Des bangen Herrn Geboten folgend sahen wir

darnach; und ganz im Hintergrund der Felsengruft

erblickten sie wir hangend, ihren Nacken fest

umschlungen mit dem wohlgewebten Leinenband,
1165

und ihn umfangen haltend mitten ihren Leib,

bejammernd seines Ehelagers Untergang,

des Vaters Unthat und der Braut unselig Loos.

Er aber ihn erblickend seufzet düster auf,

und geht hinein zu jenem, und wehklagend ruft
1170

er aus: O Armer, was begannst du? welcher Geist

ergriff dich? welch Unheilsgeschick verderbte dich?

O komm heraus, Kind; komm, ich bitte flehentlich.

Doch wilde Blicke wirft dem Vater zu der Sohn;

Abscheu im Antlitz, nichts erwiedernd, zieht das Schwert
1175

am Doppelgriff er; jener stürzt in Flucht heraus,

und so verfehlt ihn dieser: der Unselige,

sich selbst ergrimmt dann, störst sofort das Eisen sich,

drauf hingestemmt, tief in die Seiten, und umschmiegt

mit mattem Arme, noch bei Sinnen, sich der Braut;
1180

und schnaubend haucht er seines Blutes Purpurstrahl

an die erblafste Wange der Umschlungnen hin.

Ein Todter liegt er bei der Todten, und empfängt

die Weih'n der Hochzeit, Armer! in des Hades Haus,

den Menschen zeigend, wie die Unbesonnenheit
1185

von allen Übeln für den Mann das gröfste sei.

(Eurydike ab.)

CHOR.

Wie magst du das wol deuten? Fort schon ist die Frau,

noch eh' ein gutes oder böses Wort sie sprach.

BOTE.

Ich schaudre selbst auch; doch die Hoffnung nährt mich noch,

des Kindes Unglück hörend wolle nicht der Stadt
1190

sie zeigen ihre Klagen, sondern drin im Haus

mit ihren Frau'n beweinen dieses eigne Leid.

Nicht unverständig ist sie, daſs sie frevelte.

CHOR.

Nicht weiſs ich's: aber allzutiefes Schweigen scheint

gleich drohend mir als übermäfsig Klaggeschrei.
1195

BOTE.

Bald werden wir erfahren, ob nicht heimlich sie

verhaltnes Weh in tief empörtem Herzen birgt,

indem ans Haus ich trete: denn wahr sprachest du,

auch allzu tiefes Schweigen drohet Schweres oft.

(Kreon kommt mit der Leiche des Sohnes und mit Gefolge.)

CHOR.

Hier nahet er selbst, der Gebieter, heran;
1200

mit den Händen erfafst er ein deutliches Mal,

wenn solches ich darf aussprechen, der Schuld

nicht Anderer, sondern der eignen.

KREON.
Str. 1.

O weh!

O sinnloser Sinne todschwangere
1205

Verirrungen ach! schauet Mord, schauet Tod,

verübt am Geschlecht des selbsteignen Stamms!

weh mir, meines Rathes Unseligkeit!

O Sohn, jung entriſs ein jung Todesloos,

ach ach, ach ach,
1210

dich durch meines Raths und nicht durch des deinen Unglücksbeschluſs.

CHOR.

Ach daſs zu spät doch, seh' ich, du das Recht erkennst!

KREON.
Str. 2.

Weh mir!

Ich hab's gelernt, ich Armer! Schwer belastend traf

mir damals im Zorn ein Gott dieses Haupt,
1215

und schlug's, und warf in wilde Pfade mich hinein;

weh mir! niederstürzt' er mein zertretnes Glück!

Ach ach! o der Menschen leidvolles Leid!

HAUSDIENER.
(tritt auf)

O Herr, wie einer, der so recht im Erbbesitz

der Übel wäre, trägst du dieses hier im Arm,
1220

und kommst, im Hause gleich zu schaun das andere.

KREON.

Was giebt es wieder Schlimmes? was ist noch mir schlimm?

HAUSDIENER.

Dein Weib erlag unselig, diesem Todten hier

ganz Mutter sie, von frisch geschlagner Wunden Streich.

KREON.
Gegenstr. 1.

O weh!
1225

O weh! nie versöhnlich Reich, Hades' Schlund,

Ha, du vernichtest mich! O des graunvollesten

Unheils Bote mir, welch Wort sprichst du aus?

Du giebst, ach! dem Todten noch Todesstofs!

O! was kündest du? welch neu Todesloos,
1230

ach ach, ach ach,

des Weibs sagst du mir, in Mord hingeschlachtet sie mein Gemahl!

CHOR.

Du kannst es sehen; nicht im Innern ist sie mehr.

(die Leiche der Eurydike wird sichtbar.)

KREON.
Gegenstr. 2.

Weh mir!

Dies andre zweite Leiden schau' Elender ich!
1235

O welch, welch Geschick denn harrt meiner noch?

In meinen Händen halt' ich noch mein Kind, und dort,

ich Elender, muſs ich jene liegen sehn.

Ach ach, arme Mutter! ach, armes Kind!

HAUSDIENER.

Als scharfgetroffen um den Altar hin sie lag,
1240

brings ihr das Auge schwarzumwölkt, nachdem sie noch

des erstgeopferten Megareus ruhmvolles Loos

beklagt, und wieder diesen, und auf dich zuletzt,

den Kindermörder, arge Flüch' herabgewünscht.

KREON.
Str. 3.

Ach ach, ach ach!
1245

Vor Angst schaudr' ich auf! Warum stöfst nicht wer

mir vorn durch die Brust ein zweischneidig Schwert?

Weh, weh mir Elendem!

In Elend und Leid versenkt komm' ich um.

HAUSDIENER.

Die Schuld von diesem und von jenem Tode lud
1250

im Sterben noch anklagend sie dir auf das Haupt.

KREON.

Und wie sich mordend schied sie denn vom Leben ab?

HAUSDIENER.

Mit eigner Hand durchbohrte sie die Weichen sich,

als sie des Sohnes tief bejammert Leid gehört.

KREON.
Str. 4.

O weh, weh! der Menschen kein andrer nimmt
1255

auf sich diese Schuld hinweg meinem Haupt.

Denn ich, ich gewiſs, ich Elender war's,

der dir gab den Tod. O kommt, Diener kommt:

fasset mich! führet in Eile weg, führet von hinnen mich!

denn nichts weiter bin ich mehr als ein Nichts!
1260

CHOR.

Du mahnest heilsam, giebt es Heil im Übel noch;

am besten geht am schnellsten man vom Übel weg.

KREON.
Ant. γ¹.

O komm, o komm,

erschein', unsrer Todesloos' herrlichstes,

heranführend mir des endigenden Tags
1265

Glücksziel! o komm, o komm,

daſs ich keinen andern Tag schaue mehr!

CHOR.
Gegenstr. 3.

Dies birgt die Zukunft; Sorg' erheischt die Gegenwart:

ob jenem waltet, wer darob zu walten hat.

KREON.

Wornach ich schmachte, dieses nur erfleht' ich mir!
1270

CHOR.

Nicht flehe jetzo; denn aus vorbestimmter Noth

giebt es Befreiung nimmermehr den Sterblichen.

KREON.
Ant. δ¹.

Hinweg führet denn mich den Vernichteten,

der dir nicht mit Willen Tod bracht', o Sohn,

und dir, Gattin! Weh! ich weiſs nicht wie den
1275

ich schaun soll, wie die, weiſs nicht irgend Rath!

Alles liegt niedergestürzt umher; es stürmt auf mein Haupt

ein graunvolles Schicksal schwerlastend ein!

(Kreon wird abgeführt.)

CHOR.

Glückselig zu seyn, thut Weisheit noth

vor Allem zuerst; und des Göttlichen Scheu
1280

soll keiner verschmähn: denn gewaltige Wort'

hochmüthiges Sinns, mit gewaltigem Schlag

schwer büfsend zuletzt,

sie lehren im Alter die Weisheit.

Spanish (J. A. Bolufer, 1921) (OCR draft) Experimental (Spanish (J. A. Bolufer, 1921)) — 1219 focus

Y mira lo que vimos al cumplir las órdenes de nuestro abatido señor en el fondo de la tumba vimos a ella ahorcada en un lazo que, formado con la tela del ceñidor, se había adaptado al cuello; y a él, que echadó echado sobre ella la encerraba en sus brazos, llorando la pérdida de su prometida, que ya vivia vivía en el infierno, y la orden de su padre y su infortunado casamiento. Éste, así que lo vió vio, dando un horrible grito se lanza dentro hacia él, y gimiendo amargamente le dice: «¡Ah infeliz! ¿Qué has hecho? ¿Qué pensamiento ha sido el tuyo? ¿En qué desgracia te vas a perder? Sal de ahi ahí, te lo ruego, suplicandó suplicando.» Pero el muchacho, mirándole con enfurecidos ojos, y escupiéndole a la cara y sin contestarle, tira de su espada de doble filo y erró a su padre, porque éste se dió dio a la fuga. Entonces el infeliz, irritado contra sí mismo como estaba, se inclinó apoyando el costado en la punta de la espada; y en sus teñidos brazos, anhelante aún, se abrazó de la muchacha, enviándole en su estertor rápido chorro de sangre, algunas gotas de la cual enrojecieron las pálidas mejillas de la novia. Y alli allí yace un cadáver sobre otro cadáver, habiendo alcanzado el desdichado el cumplimiento de sus bodas en la mansión de Plutón, y demostrando a los mortales que la imprudencia es para el hombre la mayor de las desgracias.

CORO

¿Qué conjeturas ahora? Esa mujer ha desaparecido sin proferir buena ni mala palabra.

EL MENSAJERO

Yo mismo estoy asombrado; pero abrigo la esperanza de que, enterada ella de la muerte del hijo, no creerá que deba llorarlo por las calles de la ciudad; sino que, yéndose a casa, anunciará a las esclavas la desgracia de la familia para que lo lloren; porque no está tan falta de juicio que cometa una atrocidad.

CORO

No sé; porque a mí, el demasiado silencio me parece compañero de algo grave, lo mismo que el inmoderado clamor.

EL MENSAJERO

Pues vamos a verlo yéndonos a palacio; no sea que algo reprimido oculte secretamente en su irritado corazón; porque bien dices que el demasiado silencio es cosa grave.

CORO

Pues he ahi ahí al mismo rey, que viene llevando en sus manos la señal evidente, no de ajena culpa, si me es permitido hablar así, sino de su propio pecado.

CREONTE

¡Oh crueles y mortales pecados de mis desatentados consejos! ¡Oh vosotros que veis al muerto y al matador en una misma familia! ¡Oh infaustas resoluciones mias mías! ¡Oh hijo! ¡Tan joven, y de prematura muerte, ayay, ayay, has muerto! Te has ido por mis funestas resoluciones, no por las tuyas.

CORO

¡Ay!, que tarde parece que reconoces la justicia.

CREONTE

¡Ay de mí! La conozco en mi desgracia. Pero en aquel entonces, en verdad, entonces un dios gravemente irritado contra mi mí, me sacudía la cabeza y me lanzó por funestas sendas, ¡ay de mí!, destruyendo mi felicidad, que holló con sus pies. ¡Huy, huy! ¡Oh infructuosos afanes de los mortales!

EL MENSAJERO

¡Ah, señor! ¡Cómo teniendo y sintiendo la desgracia que llevas en tus manos, tienes otra en casa, que pronto verás!

CREONTE

¿Qué hay, pues, peor que el mismo mal?

EL MENSAJERO

Tu mujer ha muerto; la infeliz, madre amantísima de ese cadáver, se acaba de inferir herida mortal.

CREONTE

¡Ay, ay, implacable puerto del infierno! ¿Por qué, pues, a mí, por qué me arruinas? ¡Oh tú, que vienes con tan fatales y funestas noticias! ¿Qué es lo que dices? ¡Ayay! A un hombre muerto ya, has rematado. ¿Qué dices, hombre? ¿Esa nueva noticia que me anuncias, ¡ayay, ayay!, es la cruel muerte de mi mujer sobre la de mi hijo?

CORO

Puedes verla, pues no está en el interior de palacio.

CREONTE

¡Ay de mí! ¡Esta es otra nueva desgracia que veo! ¡Infeliz de mí! ¿Qué otra, pues, qué otra fatalidad me espera? Tengo en brazos a mi hijo, que acaba de morir, y veo enfrente otro cadáver. ¡Infeliz de mí! ¡Ay, ay, madre desdichada! ¡Ay, hijo!

EL MENSAJERO

Ella, gravemente herida, dió dio reposo a sus ensombrecidos ojos alrededor del altar después de llorar la gloriosa muerte de su hijo Megareo, que perdió perdió antes, y luego la de éste; y lanzando últimamente maldiciones sobre ti por tus imprudentes determinaciones como asesino de tu hijo.

CREONTE

¡Ayay, ayay! Estoy pasmado de horror. ¿Por qué no me matáis matais con espada de dos filos? ¡Qué miserable soy! ¡Ayay! ¡Estoy envuelto en fatal calamidad!

EL MENSAJERO

Como que fuiste acusado por la difunta de tener tú la culpa de la muerte de ella y de la de aquél.

CREONTE

¿Y de qué manera se mató?

EL MENSAJERO

Hiriéndose con su propia mano en el corazón, así que supo la deplorabilisima deplorabilísima muerte de su hijo.

CREONTE

¡Ay de mí! No se impute nada de esto a otro hombre, porque ha sucedido por mi culpa. Pues yo, yo te maté, desdichado, yo; lo digo verdaderamente. ¡Oh siervos!, echadme a toda prisa; echadme fuera de aquí, que ya no soy nada.

CORO

Bien nos exhortas, si es que algún bien puede haber en el mal; pues de los males presentes, los más breves son los mejores.

CREONTE

¡Venga, venga! ¡Aparezca el último y más deseado de mis infortunios, trayéndome el fin de mis dias días! ¡Venga, venga, para que ya no vea otro sol!

CORO

Esas cosas están por venir. De las presentes conviene que nos preocupemos; pues de las otras, ya cuidarán aquellos que deben cuidarse.

CREONTE

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

CORO

Pues no pidas nada; que de la suerte que el destino tenga asignada a los mortales, no hay quien pueda evadirse.

CREONTE

Echad de aquí a un hombre inútil, que, ¡ay, hijo!, te maté sin querer; y a ésta también. ¡Pobre de mí! No sé hacia qué lado deba inclinarme, porque todo lo que tocan mis manos se vuelve contra mí; sobre mi cabeza descargó intolerable fatalidad.

CORO

La prudencia es la primera condición para la felicidad; y es menester, en todo lo que a los dioses se refiere, no cometer impiedad; pues las insolentes bravatas que castigan a los soberbios con atroces desgracias, les enseñan a ser prudentes en la vejez.

Latin (F. H. Bothe, 1806) (OCR draft) Experimental (Latin (F. H. Bothe, 1806)) — 1219 focus

Ita, ut iusserat prorsus exanimatus herus, inspeximus;

intimoque in tumu. lo puellam quidem videmus collo pensilem, nodo texti- lis sindonis implicitam : illum vero iuxta iacentem, mediamque amplexum virginem, sponsae deflentem Orco demissae interitum, patrisque facta, et miserabiles nuptias. At hic, ubi eum videt, graviter suspirans, intro pergit ad eum, et cum eiulatu eum vocat: O miser, inquit, quid fecisii? quaenam erat tibi mens? Quonam exemplo te perditum ibas? egredere, o nate! supplex te rogo. Huic vero, ubi trucibus oculis eum adspexit puer, faciem inspuens, nililque respondens, ambo corripit ensis dentalia, patre autem. fugiente aberravit ictu: tum ille infelix, sibimet iratus, sic ut erat, in ensem protentus, per medias costas mucronem adigit, flexilibusque lacertis, mentis adhuc compos, virginem complectitur, et in pallidas puellae genas vehementem emittit halitum purpureo mixtum sanguine. lacet sic mortuus iuxta sponsae cadaver, connubialia sacra adeptus miser in Proserpinae domo, exemplo suo docens homines, maximum cuique malum esse temeritatem.

Chorus

Quidnam hoc esse coniicias?

Mulier rursus e conspectu evasit, priusquam locuta est boni vel mali quidquam.

Nuntius

Et ipse stupeo; attamen spe mulceor, illam, audita filii nece, urbem non incensuram questibus, sed interiorem domo famulis edicturam, ut privatim lessum lamentando faciant: consilii enim non ita expers est, ut quidquam hac in re peccet.

Chorus

Nescio: quanquam mihi et silens stupor grave quid portendere videtur, et temeraria eiulatio.

Nuntius

At mox domum ingressus comperiam, num quid etiam cohibendum clam tegat animo irato: quippe bene dicis; etenim haud sine periculo est nimium silentium.

Chorus

Atqui eccum advenit rex ipse, monumentum insigne manibus gestans, haud alienae, si fas est dicere, crimen, sed suae ipsius noxae.

Creon

O dementiae peccata dura, mortifera!

O qui cognatos cernitis occisores et occisos! Heu infelicem consiliorum meorum exitum!. Heu, nate, rate, iuvenis, immaturo fato vae! extinctus , mihi ereptus es, mea, non tua, perditus vecordia.

Chorus

Quanquam sero, videris tamen deüm iustitiam agnovisse!

Creon

Hei mihi! agnosco miser. Tunc scilicet, tunc, inquam, deus gravi calamitate caput meum percussit, instigavitque ad saeva comsilia, hei mibi, impresso pede subvertens gaudia. Heu! heu! labores hominum infelices!

Verna

O here, qualibus mactatum afflictumque malis, qualia etiam advenientem hic videre te oportet !

Creon

Quaenam alia calamitas hac maior denuo accedit?

Verna

Occidit uxor tua, vera mater huius mortui infelix, inflicto recens vulmere.

Creon

O inexpiabilis caedium thesaure, cur, obsecro , cur me perdis?

O luctuosae calamitatis nuntie , quemnam edis sermonem? Hei, hei! perditum virum iterum confecisti, Qnid, puer, inquis? quid mihi narras novi? hei, hei, num exitiali isti calamitati accedere etiam uxoris cruentam necem ?

Verna

Intueri licet:

non enim in penetrali amplius retinetur.

Creon

Hei mihi! alterum hoc iam cerno malum miser. Quis tandem, quis me manet etiam casus? habeo quidem in manibus iam natum miser, et ilud ex adverso adspicio cadaver. Heu, heu, misera mater! heu, nate!

Verna

Haec furore percita, arae circumvoluta , solvit tenebris offusos oculos; postquam deflevit Megarei quidem prius defuncti inclytam sortem , deinde et huius, postremo autem tibi dira imprecata est, natorum homicidae.

Creon

Heu, heu! metu refugit animus. Curnon mihi adversum aliquis infligit vulnus ancipiti gladio? At miser ego, heu, heu! miseris sum immersus casibus!

Verna

Nempe tamquam caussa utriusque exitii ab hac defuncta obiurgabare.

Creon

Quomodo autem, ut clarius mihi dicas, vita soluta est?

Verna

Adacto sub iecur sua ipsius manu ense, simulatque ilud audiit nati lacrimabile fatum.

Creon

Hei mihi! haud umquam in quemvis alium hominum horum a metransferetur culpa: ipse enim te occidi miser, ipse ego, verum dieo. Io famuli, abducite me quam celerrime, abducite me procul, qui plane nonsum magis quam nullus!

Chorus

Bene mones, si quid in malis est boni.

Creon

Age, adpareat fatorum feliciter meorum ultimum, inihi supremum adferens diem!

age veniat, ut saltem diem haud amplius adspiciam !

Chorus

Futura haec sunt:

quae praesens res postulat, procurare decet: illorum enim curam gerent ii, quibus convenit ea esse curae.

Creon

At una cum illis, quos amo, ista fuero consecutus.

Chorus

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

Creon

Abducite procul hominem miserum, qui te, o fili, imprudens occidi, quique te etiam, uxor (heu me miserum!), neque scio, quo ad quem respiciam.

Omne sub terra; omnia enim perversa, quae manibus teneo, quaeque capiti meo impendent, intolerabile fatum invexit.

Chorus

At sane quidem, si quae urgent mala, quo breviora, eo sunt leviora.

Sapere longe prima felicitatis pars est, omnibusque pietatis erga deos officiis fungi decet; at superbi, quum magnis plagis adflicti, magnorum dictorum poenas luerunt, sapere tandem docentur.

English (Lewis Campbell, 1906) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Lewis Campbell, 1906)) — 1219 focus

We saw the maiden hanging by the neck

With noose of finest tissue firmly tied,
1220

And clinging to her on his knees the boy,

Lamenting o’er his ruined nuptial-rite,

Consummated in death, his father’s crime

And his lost love. And when the father saw him,

With loud and dreadful clamour bursting in
1225

He went to him and called him piteously:

‘What deed is this, unhappy youth? What thought

O’ermaster’d thee? Where did the force of woe

O’erturn thy reason? O come forth, my son,

I beg thee!’ But with savage eyes the youth
1230

Glared scowling at him, and without a word

Plucked forth his two-edged blade. The father then

Fled and escaped: but the unhappy boy,

Wroth with himself, even where he stood, leant heavily

Upon his sword and plunged it in his side.—
1235

And while the sense remained, his slackening arm

Enfolded still the maiden, and his breath,

Gaspingly drawn and panted forth with pain,

Cast ruddy drops upon her pallid face;

Then lay in death upon the dead, at last
1240

Joined to his bride in Hades’ dismal hall:—

A monument unto mankind, that rashness

Is the worst evil of this mortal state.

CH

What augur ye from this? The queen is gone

Without word spoken either good or bad.
1245

MESS

I, too, am struck with dread. But hope consoles me,

That having heard the affliction of her son,

Her pride forbids to publish her lament

Before the town, but to her maids within

She will prescribe to mourn the loss of the house.

She is too tried in judgement to do ill.
1250

CH

I cannot tell. The extreme of silence, too,

Is dangerous, no less than much vain noise.

MESS

Well, we may learn, if there be aught unseen

Suppressed within her grief-distempered soul,

By going within the palace. Ye say well:
1255

There is a danger, even in too much silence.

CH

Ah! look where sadly comes our lord the King,

Bearing upon his arm a monument—

If we may speak it—of no foreign woe,

But of his own infirmity the fruit.
1260

CR
Enter CREON with the body of HAEMON .

O error of my insensate soul,

Stubborn, and deadly in the fateful end!

O ye who now behold

Slayer and slain of the same kindred blood!

O bitter consequence of seeming-wise decree!
1265

Alas, my son!

Strange to the world wert thou, and strange the fate

That took thee off, that slew thee; woe is me!

Not for thy rashness, but my folly. Ah me!

CH

Alas for him who sees the right too late!
1270

CR

Alas!

I have learnt it now. But then upon my head

Some God had smitten with dire weight of doom;

And plunged me in a furious course, woe is me!

Discomforting and trampling on my joy.
1275

Woe! for the bitterness of mortal pain!

2ND MESS
Enter 2nd Messenger .

My lord and master. Thou art master here

Of nought but sorrows. One within thine arms

Thou bear’st with thee, and in thy palace hall

Thou hast possession of another grief,

Which soon thou shalt behold.
1280

CR

What more of woe,

Or what more woeful, sounds anew from thee?

2ND MESS

The honoured mother of that corse, thy queen,

Is dead, and bleeding with a new-given wound.

CR

O horrible! O charnel gulf

Of death on death, not to be done away,
1285

Why harrowest thou my soul?

Ill boding harbinger of woe, what word

Have thy lips uttered? Oh, thou hast killed me again,

Before undone!

What say’st? What were thy tidings? Woe is me!
1290

Saidst thou a slaughtered queen in yonder hall

Lay in her blood, crowning the pile of ruin?

CH

No longer hidden in the house. Behold!

CR

Alas!

Again I see a new, a second woe.
1295

What more calamitous stroke of Destiny

Awaits me still? But now mine arms enfold

My child, and lo! yon corse before my face!

Ah! hapless, hapless mother, hapless son!
1300

2ND MESS

She with keen knife before the altar place

Closed her dark orbs; but first lamented loud

The glorious bed of buried Megareus,

And then of Haemon; lastly clamoured forth

The curse of murdered offspring upon thee.
1305

CR

Ay me! Ay me!

I am rapt with terror. Is there none to strike me

With doubly sharpened blade a mortal blow?

Ah! I am plunged in fathomless distress.

2ND MESS

The guilt of this and of the former grief

By this dead lady was denounced on thee.

CR

Tell us, how ended she her life in blood?

2ND MESS

Wounding herself to the heart, when she had heard
1315

The loud lamented death of Haemon here.

CR

O me! This crime can come

On no man else, exempting me.

I slew thee—I, O misery!

I say the truth, ’twas I! My followers,
1320

Take me with speed—take me away, away!

Me, who am nothing now.
1325

CH

Thou sayest the best, if there be best in woe.

Briefest is happiest in calamity.

CR

Ah! let it come,

The day, most welcome of all days to me,

That brings the consummation of my doom.

Come! Come! I would not see another sun.

CH

Time will determine that. We must attend

To present needs. Fate works her own dread work.
1335

CR

All my desire was gathered in my prayer.

CH

But prayer is bootless. For to mortal men

There is no saviour from appointed woe.

CR

Take me away, the vain-proud man that slew

Thee, O my son! unwittingly,—and thee!
1340

Me miserable, which way shall I turn,

Which look upon? Since all that I can touch

Is falling,—falling,—round me, and o’erhead
1345

Intolerable destiny descends.

LEADER OF CHORUS
LEADER OF CHORUS.

Wise conduct hath command of happiness

Before all else, and piety to Heaven

Must be preserved. High boastings of the proud
1350

Bring sorrow to the height to punish pride:—

A lesson men shall learn when they are old.

German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review) (OCR draft) Experimental (German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review)) — 1219 focus

Und wie der Herrscher zagend uns geboten, geh'n

Wir hin, zu spähen, und im Hintergrunde tief
1185

Sah'n wir die Jungfrau schweben, die den Hals sich fest

Zum Tod umschlungen mit des Schleiers zartem Band,

Und sah'n den Jüngling, der die Braut umfangen hielt,

Ihr Loos bejammernd, die hinab geschwunden ihm,

Des Vaters Unthat und den unheilvollen Bund.
1190

Doch Kreon, ihn erblickend, stöhnt schmerzvoll und geht

Zum Sohn hinein und ruft ihm lautaufweinend zu:

„Ha, was begannst du? Welcher Geist, Unseliger,

Ergriff dich? Welches Mißgeschick verderbte dich?

O komm heraus, Kind! Auf den Knie'n beschwör' ich dich!"
1195

Mit wildem Auge starrt der Sohn den Vater an,

Voll Hohn im Antliz, und erwidert nichts, und zieht

Des Schwertes Doppelschneide; doch der Vater stürzt

Hinaus und flicht; er fehlt ihn; dann, auf sich ergrimmt,

Stößt, wie er war, der Arme, drüber hingebeugt,
1200

Das Schwert sich mitten durch die Brust; hierauf umschlingt

Er, noch bei Sinnen, seine Braut mit mattem Arm,

Und schneller athmend strömt er ihr den scharfen Hauch

Blutrother Tropfen auf die bleichen Wangen aus.

So liegt er eine Leiche bei der Leiche, weh!
1205

Empfängt der Ehe Weihen in des Todes Haus,

Und zeigt den Menschen, daß die Unbesonnenheit

Der Uebel allergrößtes sei für Sterbliche.

(Eurydike geht schnell ab.) Der Chor. Der Bote.

Der Chor.

Wie willst du das dir deuten? Rasch von hinnen ging

Die Frau, bevor sie Gutes oder Böses sprach.
1210

Der Bote.

Ich staune selbst auch, doch ermannt mich dieser Trost:

Des Sohnes Unglück hörend, will sie nicht vor uns

Die Klag' erheben, nein, daheim in stillem Schmerz

Vor ihren Frau'n beweinen, was ihr Haus betraf.

Denn nicht so sinnlos ist sie, daß sie frevelte.
1215

Der Chor.

Wer weiß es? Mir dünkt allzutiefes Schweigen auch

Unheilbedeutend, wie der thöricht laute Schmerz.

Der Bote.

Ich will es bald erfahren, ob sie nicht geheim

Verhalt'nes Leid in wildempörter Brust verbirgt;

Ich geh' hinan zum Hause; denn wahr sagtest du:
1220

Wohl allzutiefes Schweigen auch droht schweres Leid.

(der Bote geht ab. Kreon erscheint, die Leiche des Sohnes tragend, mit Gefolge.)

Der Chor.

Hier kommt er ja selbst, der Gebieter, heran,

In den Armen das lautredende Denkmal

Nicht fremden Vergeh'ns, nein, eigener Schuld,

Wenn mir es zu sagen vergönnt ist.
1225
Kreon. Der Chor. Erste Strophe.

Kreon.

O wehe, sinnlosen Sinnes, todbringender,

Starrer Verirrungen Frucht!

Weh! Ihr seht den Mörder, seht

Auch den Erschlag'nen hier: sie sind Eines Stamms!

Weh über meines Rathes Unseligkeit!
1230

weh, Sohn, Sohn!

Früh sinkend, ach, frühem Tod,

(Weh, weh, weh, weh!)

Schiedst du vom Sonnenlicht!

Die Frucht meines Wahnes, nicht deine Schuld!
1235

Der Chor.

Weh, weh, du solltest allzuspät das Rechte seh'n!

Weh mir!

Zweite Strophe.

Kreon.

Ich hab's erkannt, ich Armer: ja, auf dieses Haupt

Hereinstürmend traf ein Gott, schwer ergrimmt,

Mit schwerem Schlag; in wilde Bahnen stieß er mich,
1240

weh, niederstürzend mein zertret'nes Glück!

Ach, ach, weh, des Menschen mühvolle Müh'n!

Ein Diener (kommt aus dem Palaste.) Die Vorigen.

Der Diener.

Als wärst du recht im Vollbesize jedes Leids,

Herr, trägst du dies im Arme: das im Hause weilt,

Das andre Leiden wirst du bald mit Augen sehn.
1245

Kreon.

Was gibt es wieder? Schlimm'res als das Schlimme noch?

Der Diener.

Dein Weib, die treue Mutter dieses Todten hier,

Starb eben, ach! an frischgeschlagnen Wunden hin.

Erste Gegenstrophe.

Kreon.

Oweh! Warum, unversöhnlich Reich, Hades' Schlund,

Mordest du mich, o warum?
1250

Welches Wort sprachst du aus,

du, der mir schweren Leids Kunde bringt?

Weh, weh! Dem Todten gibst du nochmals den Tod!

O was sprichst du?

Welch grauses Wort sagst du mir?
1255
(Weh, weh, weh, weh!)

Mein Weib, ach! entseelt,

Vom Sohn mitgerissen in graunvollen Tod?

Der Chor.

Du kannst es sehen; nicht im Hause birgt sich's mehr.

(Im Hintergrunde der Scene wird die Leiche der Königin sichtbar.)

Weh mir!
1260
Zweite Gegenstrophe.

Kreon.

Das andre zweite Leiden seh' ich Armer hier!

welch Schicksal, welches harrt meiner noch?

In meinen Armen halt' ich noch mein theures Kind,

Und dort muß ich, ach! den andern Todten sehn.

Ach, ach, arme Mutter! Ach, armes Kind!
1265

Der Diener.

Am Hausaltare sank sie schwergetroffen hin,

Da brach in Nacht ihr Auge; noch beweinte sie

Des erst entschwundnen Megareus ruhmvolles Loos,¹

Und wieder diesen, und zulezt auf dich herab,

Den Kindesmörder, fluchte sie graunvollen Fluch.
1270
Dritte Strophe.

Kreon.

Weh, weh, weh, weh!

Mich schreckt Angst empor! Warum bohrt kein Freund

Mir vorn durch die Brust ein zweischneidig Schwert?

Ach, ich Unglückseliger!

In qualvolles Leid versenkt, schwind' ich hin.
1275

Der Diener.

Wohl hat die Schuld von diesem, wie von jenem Tod,

Die Todte noch im Sterben dir auf's Haupt gewälzt.

Kreon.

Und welche Todesweise löst' ihr Leben auf?

Der Diener.

Sie senkte selbst in ihre Brust den Stahl, sobald

Sie hier des Sohnes tiefbeweintes Loos vernahm.
1280
Vierte Strophe.

Kreon.

weh, weh! Der Menschen sonst keiner nimmt

Auf sich diese Schuld, es ist meine Schuld.

Denn ich war es nur, ich Elender gab,

Ia ich, dir den Tod! O kommt, Diener, kommt,

Führt mich geschwind hinweg, führt mich von hinnen fort!
1285

Denn nichts Andres bin ich mehr, als ein Nichts.

Der Chor.

Gewinn verlangst du, wenn's Gewinn im Leide gibt;

Wohl ist's am besten, währt das Leid nur kurze Zeit.

komm, o komm,

Kreon.

Erschein' endlich mir, mein glorreichstes Loos,
1290

Und führe mir herauf den endigenden Tag!

Nahe nur, gewünschtes Ziel,

Und laß keinen andern Tag mehr mich schau'n!

Der Chor.

Das bringt die Zukunft; hier gebeut die Gegenwart;²

Für jene sorgt ja, wem dafür zu sorgen ziemt.
1295

Kreon.

Wonach ich schmachte, dies allein erfleht' ich mir.

Der Chor.

Erflehe Nichts, Herr; gibt es doch für Sterbliche

Niemals Erlösung aus der vorbestimmten Noth.

Vierte Gegenstrophe.

Kreon.

So führt mich hinweg, den unsel'gen Mann,

Der dir nicht mit Willen den Tod gab, o Sohn,
1300

Noch dir, Gattin! Weh! Ich weiß nicht, wohin

Ich schau'n soll zuerst. Es wankt Alles, wankt,

Was mir zu Händen, was über dem Haupte mir:

Auf mich brach das Schicksal graunvoll herein.

(Kreon wird abgeführt.)

Der Chor.

Am ersprießlichsten ist, um glücklich zu sein,
1305

Der besonnene Sinn: nie frevle darum

An der Götter Gesez! Der Vermessene büßt

Das vermessene Wort mit schwerem Gericht;

Dann lernt er zulezt

Noch weise zu werden im Alter.
1310

English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759)) — 1244 focus

What can this mean? She's gone, without a

word.
1245

Messenger

'Tis strange, and yet I trust she will not loud

Proclaim her griefs to all, but — for I know

She's ever prudent — with her virgin train

In secret weep her murdered Hsemon's fate.

ryS
1250

Chorus

Clamour indeed were vain ; but such deyp

silence

Doth ever threaten horrid consequence.

Messenger

Within we soon shall know if aught she hide

Of deadly purport in her angry soul ;

For well thou sayst her silence is most dreadful.

Chorus
\Exit Messengek.

But lo ! the king himself : and in his arms

See his dead son, the monument accursed

Of his sad fate, which, may we say unblamed,

Sprang not from others' guilt, but from his own.
1260

Creon
Scene IV.

Messenger, Chorus.

Creun enters, hearing the body of HiEMON.

Creon

Ah me ! What deadly woes from the bad mind

Perpetual flow. Thus in one wretched house

Have you beheld the slayer and the slain !

O fatal counsels ! O unhappy son !

Thus with thy youthful bride to sink in death ;

Thou diest, my child, and I alone have killed thee !

Chorus

O king ! thy justice comes too late.
1270

Creon

It doth,

1 know it well, unhappy as I am ;

For oh ! the god this heavy weight of woe

Hath cast upon me, and his fiercest wrath

Torments me now, changing my joyful state

To keenest anguish. Oh ! the fruitless toils
1275

Of wretched mortals !

Messenger
Scene V.

Creon, Chorus.

Messenger

Thus oppressed, my lord,

With bitterest misfortune, more aliliction

Awaits thee still, which thou Avilt find within.
1280

Creon

And can there be more woes? Is aught to

come

More horrible than this ?

Messenger

The queen is dead ;

Her wounds yet fresh. Eager, alas ! to show

A mother's love, she followed hfer lost child.

Creon

O death insatiate ! how dost thou afflict me !

What cruel news, thou messenger of ill,

Hast thou brought now ?

Chorus

A wretch, already dead

With grief, thy horrid tale once more hath slain.

Creon

Didst thou not say a fresh calamity

Had fallen upon mel Didst thou not say my wife

Was dead, alas ! for grief of Hsemon's fate?

Messenger
\Scene opens and discovers the body of Eurydice,

Behold her there !

Creon

O me ! another blow !

What now remains ? What can I suffer more.

Thus bearing in these arms my breathless son ?

My wife too dead ! O most unhappy mother !
1310

And oh ! thou wretched child !

Messenger

Close by the altar

She drew the sword, and closed her eyes in death,

Lamenting first her lost Megareus' fate

And Hsemon's death, with imprecations dire

Still poured on thee, the murderer of thy son.

Creon

I shudder at it? Will no friendly hand

Destroy me quickly? For oh ! I am most wretched —

I>eset with miseries !

Messenger

She accused thee oft.
1315

And said the guilt of both their deaths was thine,

Creon

Alas ! I only am to blame. 'Twas I

Who killed thee, Hsemon ; I confess my crime.

Bear me, my servants, bear me far from hence,
1320

For I am — nothing.

Chorus

If in ills like these

Aught can be well, thou hast determined right :

When least we see our woes, we feel them least.

Creon

Quick let my last, my happiest hour appear !

Would it were come, the period of my woes !

Oh ! that I might not see another day !
1330

CiioR. Time must determine that : the present hour

Demands our rare ; the rest 1:>e left to heaven.

Oreon. But I have wished and prayed for 't.

Chorus

Pray for nothing ;

Tliere's no reversing the decrees of fate.
1335

Creon

Take hence this useless load, this guilty

wretch

Who slew his child, who slew e'en thee, my wife ;

I know not whither to betake me, where

To turn my eyes, for all is dreadful round me,

And fate hath weighed me down on every side.

Chorus

Wisdom alone is man's true happiness :

We are not to dispute the will of heaven ;

For ever are the boastings of the proud

By the just gods repaid, and man at last

Is taught to fear their anger, and be wise.

T

R A C H I N I ^.

DRAiSrATIS PERSON^:.

Hyllus

Son of Ilercvles.

Oeianira, Wife of Hercules.

Lichas

a Herald.

Attenda>t on Deianira.

Old Man.

Chorus

composed of Virgins

Deianira
SCENE.— ^e/ore the Palace of Ceyx in Trachis. ACT I. Scene I.

Attendant.

Spanish (A. G. Garbin, 1889) (OCR draft) Experimental (Spanish (A. G. Garbin, 1889)) — 1219 focus

Hicimos la exploración, según las órdenes de nuestro señor, y en lo profundo de aquel antro vimos ¡horror! á la doneella suspendida por el euello a un lazo fatal tegido con los hilos de su velo; y al lado de ella al otro que la estreehuba entre sus brazos, deplorando la muerte de su esposa, las obras de su padre, y sus mupeias infortunadas. Al verle, éste exhaló un profundo suspiro y penetrando en lo interior, se arrojó hacia él, gritando dolorosamente: «¿Qué has hecho, desgraciado? ¿Qué pretendes ejecutar ahora? ¿Por qué te precipitas á tu perdición? Sal de aquí, hijo mio; te lo pido suplicándotelo.» Su hijo le lanzó una furiosa mirada, y rechazándole eon desdén y sin responder palabra, desenvainó su espada de dos filos, Creonte se retiró y evitó el golpe; entonces el infeliz, irritado contra sí mismo, la elavó en el fondo de su pecho; y, dueño aún de sus sentidos, cogió á Antigona en sus brazos desfallecientes; luego exhaló un último violento suspiro, desaparociendo toda la sangre de sus pálidas megillas¹. De tal manera quedó sin vida al lado de la difunta, habiendo encontrado su infortunado himeneo en la mansión de Plutón. Triste ejemplo que enseña á los hombres, ser la temeridad el más funesto de todos los males.— La Reina, despues de escuchar el relato, se relira sin pronunciar palabra.

EL CORO

¿Pero qué debemos augurar de esto?... Esa mujer se ha marchado de nuevo sin contestar palabra mala ni buena.

EL MENSAJERO

Yo mismo me he quedado también estupe facto; abrigo, sin embargo, la esperanza de que ella, enterada ya de las desgracias de su hijo, no habrá querido ofrecer á los thebanos el espectáculo de su dolor, y se habrá ido á palacio á comunicar el triste caso á sus siervas para hacer el duclo. La juzgo demasiado prudente para cometer ningún atentado.

EL CORO

No sé... pero lo mismo el dolor mudo que el que estalla en gritos violentos, me parecen de funesto augurio.

EL MENSAJERO

Bien pronto lo sabremos.—Entremos en Palacio y veamos si en su desesperación me- dita algún siniestro designio... porque, con razón decís que lo que hay aquí de grave es su completo silencio.—(Váse el mensajero.—Aparece Creonte con su servidumbre, trayendo en hombros el cadáver de Hemón.)

EL CORO

El rey Creonte se presenta... Trae en brazos un momumemto, que habla muy alto... Tan tremenda desgracia ¡ay! justo es reconocerlo, no ha sido obra de extraños, no; él solo ha sido el culpable.

Creonte y el Coro.-Otra Vez el Mensajero

Estrofa 1.a

CREONTE

¡Oh fatal error, cruel irreparable error de mis sentidos perturbados!... ¡Ah! vosotros los que contemplais á los miembros de una misma familia, los unos dando la muerte, cadáveres los otros... ¡Enfaustos consejos miosl... ¡hijo de mi corazón! has muerto en la flor de tu juventud... y yo, tu padre... ¡ay! ¡ay!... yo mismo he sido quien con su temeridad te ha asesinado.

EL CORO

¡Ah! muy tarde reconoces la justicia de los dioses.

Estrofa 1.a

CREONTE

¡Mísero de mil tarde, sí la he reconocido. Alguna Deidad, irritada contra mi, trastornó mi juicio, y me precipitó en la senda de la crueldad; y con pié despiadado ¡ay de mi! ha derrumbado toda mi felicidad... ¡Ayl... ¡ay! vanidad de los proyectos humanos!...

EL MENSAJERO

anlterior, que sale de Palacio.

¡Señor! gran cúmulo de males caen sobre tí: tienes ante tus ojos este espectáculo doloroso, y te esperan además otras desgracias en tu Palacio.

CREONTE

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

EL MENSAJERO

Tu esposa, la madre de ese hijo que lloras, ha muerto. ¡Infortunadal herida mortalmente, acaba de espirar.

Antistrofa 1.a

CREONTE

¡Inexorable Plutón! ¿por qué, por qué te obstinas en consumar mi perdición?... Y tú; mensajero fatídico de dolores, ¿qué es lo que has venido á contarme?... has venido ¡oh Dios! á concluir con mi vida... ¿qué es lo que has dicho?... ¿qué fatal nueva me has traido?... ¡Cielos! no era bastante con mi hijo, y la Muerte sangrienta me arrebata también mi querida esposa. —(Se descubre el interior de pa: lacio y se pone de manifiesto el cadáver de la Reina.)

EL CORO

Puedes verla... y no allá en lo reservado de tu palacio².

CREONTE

Antistrofa 2.2 Comtemplando el cadáver de Eurydice, y todavía con el de Hemón en sus brazos).—¡Desgraciado de mi!

veo con mis ojos mi última desdicha: ¿qué nuevo infortunio puedo ya esperar? tengo en mis brazos el cuerpo de mi hijo, y en frente el cadáver de esa infeliz... ¡Oh esposa desgraciada!... ¡hijo mio!... ¡hijo mio!...

EL MENSAJERO

Esa... herida mortalmente, y después de girar moribunda en torno del ara sagrada, ce- 1ró por último los ojos á la luz, habiendo Morado primero la muerte gloriosa de su hijo Megareo, difunto antes que éste; luego la de éste; lanzando, por último, su maldicion sobre ti, por considerarte el asesino de su hijo.

Estrofa 2.a

CREONTE

¡Cielos!! ¡dioses! mis sentidos se hielan de horror!... ¿Por quéno me hundís una espada en el corazón?... ¡Misero de mil, la terrible FATALIDAD me acosa por todos lados!...

EL SIERVO

Si; al morir, te hacía á tí el culpable de su muerte y de la de su hijo.

CREONTE

Pero, ¿cómo ha ocurrido su muerte? A is

EL SIERVO

Clavándose una espada en el costado, tan luego como supo el deporable fin de su hijo-

Estrofa 3.a

CREONTE

¡Ay de mi! Yo he sido la causa de tantos males. ¡Yo he sido, yo, el que te he dado la muerte... yo solo! es verdad... ¡Siervos míos! sacadme al punto de aquí; llevadme lejos, lejos de estos lugares ¡Yo ya dejé de ser!...

EL CORO

Eso que has resuelto está bién, si es que puede haber algún bien en el mal. Las penas que se abrevian, se hacen más soportables.

Antistrofa 3.a

CREONTE

¡Que venga! ¡que venga! que se presente mi muerte! Venga, y será mi día más feliz el ul- timo día de mi vida! ¡que vengal... que no vea yo más la luz!

EL MENSAJERO

Eso ya sucederá. De lo presente es de lo que debemos ocuparnos; de lo porvenir ya se cuidarán aquellos á quienes incumbe.

CREONTE

Es que lo deseo... lo pido suplicante.

EL MENSAJERO

Déjate ahora de súplicas. De los mortales ninguno hay que pueda librarse de los infortunios que le manda el Destino.

CREONTE

Sacad, os ruego, de estos lugares, á este desventurado, que á su pesar ha causado tu muerte, hijo mio, y la tuya también, cara esposa... ¿A dónde, á dónde dirigir mis miras das, desdiehado de mí? ¿á dónde encaminar mis pasos? No yeo delante de mis ojos sino ruina y desolación; de tal manera el Hado inexorable se ha desencadenado contra xi,

EL CORO

La prudencia es una primera fuente de ventura; pero es preciso además no ser irreligio- sos, y reyerenciar á la Divinidad. Los discursos presuntuosos de los hombres altivos, les originan terribles infortunios, que enseñan, aunque tarde, á apreciar la Sabiduría.

FIN DE «ANTÍGONA. » Granada, 1889.

German (F. Hölderlin, 1804) (OCR draft) Experimental (German (F. Hölderlin, 1804)) — 1219 focus

Zu hinterst in den Gräbern sehen wir

Am Naken hängend, sie, am Gürtelbande
1275

Des Leinenkleids herab; und ihn, rundum

Um sie bestrikt, dahingestrekt, und jammernd

Ums Brautbett, und den Abgrund drunten, und

Des Vaters Werk und unglükliche Lager.

Er, wie er dieses sieht, schreit greulich auf,
1280

Und geht hinein, zu ihm, und wehcklagt und rufet:

O Armer, was hast du gethan? was hattest

Im Sinne du? Durch welch Verhängnifs starbst du?

O komm heraus, mein Kind, fufsfällig bitt’ ich.

Schnöd blikend, nichts entgegensagend, starrt
1285

Mit wilden Augen gegen ihn der Sohn;

Und zieht das Schwert, zweischneidig, gegen ihn erst,

Und da der Vater, aufgeschrökt, zur Flucht

Sich wandte, fehlt‘ er. Grimmig dann im Geiste,

Der Unglükliche sties, so wie er ausgestrekt stand,
1290

Die Spize mitten sich in seine Seite.

Den feuchten Arm, bei Sinnen noch, külst er

Der Jungfrau. Schnaubend stöfst auf weisser Wange

Er scharfen Hauch von blut’gen Tropfen aus.

Das Todte liegt beim Todten, bräutliche
1295

Erfüllung trifft es schüchtern in den Häufsern

Der Todtenwelt, und zeigt der Menschen rathlos Wesen,

Und wie als gröstes Uebel diess der Mann hat.

(Eurydice geht ab. )

CHOR

Wie nimmst du diess? Die Frau gteng wieder weg,

Eh sie gut oder schlimm ein Wort gesagt.
1300

DER BOTE

Mich wunderts auch , doch nähr’ ich mich mit Hoffnung,

Dafs auf des Kindes Unglük sie das Jammern

Anständig nicht gehalten vor der Stadt,

Und in den Zimmern drinn den Mägden sage,

Dals sie des Hauses Klage klagen. Denn
1305

So ohne Rath ist sie nicht, dass sie fehlte.

CHOR

Ich weiss nicht. Doch das allzugrofse Schweigen

Scheint bei vergebnem Schreien mir bedeutend.

DER BOTE

Lafs sehen uns, ob nicht Verhaltenes

Geheim verberg' ihr schwellend Herz; hinein
1310

Ins Haus gehn. Denn du redest wohl, es ist

Bedeutend auch das ailzugrolse Schweigen.

CHOR

Allein der König kommet selbst.

Ein grofses Angedenken in Händen trägt er.

Wenn’s Recht ist, es zu sagen, aus fremdem
1315

Irsaal nicht, sondern selber hat er gefehlt.

Zweite Scene

D Eılız Cr DO;:B, KREON.

KREON

Io! unsinnige Sinne!

Harte Fehle!

Tödtliche! O tödtend und
1320

Getödtet sehn wir Blutsfreunde.

Io! mir! über meinen armen Rathschlägen.

Io! Kind! Frühzeitig gestorben !

Weh! Weh! Weh!

Gestorben bist du, geschieden ,
1325

Durch meine, nicht deine Thorheit.

CHOR

O mir, wie mufstest du so spät erst seh’n das Rechte.

KREON

Ich hab’s gelernet in Furcht. An meinem Haupt aber

Ein Gott dort, dort mich

Mit grolser Schwere gefalst
1330

Und geschlagen hat, und geschüttelt auf wilden Wegen.

Ach! ach!

Io! ihr Mühen der Menschen! ihr Mühsamen !

Dritte Scene DER BOTE. KREON. DER CHOR.

BOTE

O Herr! wie hast du schon und wie empfängst du.

Das in den Händen trägst du, das. Unddasim Haufs’
1335

Auch das Unglük znsehen musst du kommen.

KREON

Was ist denn schlimmer noch, als das, was schlimm ist?

BOTE

Die Frau ist todt; ganz Mutter dieses Todten.

Noch krümmt sie sich von neugeschlagnen Schlägen.

KREON

Io! Io! du schmuziger Hafen
1340

Der Unterwelt! was? mich nun? was? verderbest du mich?

Io! der übelberichtet mir

Hersandte das Unglük, führest solch Geschrei du?

Weh! Weh! du hast zu Grunde den Mann gerichtet.

Was sprichstdu, Kind ? was bringest dumir Neues?
1345

Weh! Weh! Weh!

Geschlachtet an dem Boden liege

Des Weibs Theil über allgemeinem Zerfalle.

BOTE

Du kannst es selın. Noch ist sie im Gemach nicht.

KREON

O mir!
1350

Auch das Unglük, das zweite, seh’ ich Armer?

Was nun noch? was erwartet mich ein Schiksaal?

Ich hab’ in Händen eben da das Kind,

Ich Armer; sehe vor mir hier den Todten.

Ach! ach! mühseel’ge Mutter! ach mein Kind!
1355

CHOR

Wie ist sie scharfgetroffen, wie geschlachtet rings!

KREON

Sie schlägt die schwarzen Augen auf. Was klagt sie?

BOTE

Des ehgestorbenen Magareus rühmlich Bett.

Dann hat geklaget sie um den, zulezt lobpries sie

Die schlechten Thaten dir, dem Kindermörder.
1360

KREON

Weh! Weh! Weh! Weh!

Mich beflügelt die Furcht. Warum

Hat nicht mich einer erschlagen

Mit entgegengestelltem Schwert’?

Ich Feiger! ach! ach!
1365

In feiger Noth gemenget.

BOTE

Da du die Schuld von dem und jenem trägst,

So gieb Befehl auch wegen des Gestorbnen.

KREON

Was Art in Mord ward aber jen’ entbunden ?

BOTE

Sich selber auf die Leber schlug ste, da
1370

Des Kindes Leiden lautgeklagt an sie kan.

KREON

O mir! mir! das gehöret keinem andern

Der Menschen an. Mein ist die Schuld in diesem.

Ich habe dich getödtet ich. Io! ihr Diener!

Führt eilig mich hinweg! führt Schritt vor Schritt,
1375

Mich, der nun nichts mehr Anders ist, als Niemand.

CHOR

Ist Vortheil noch im Unglük, trifst du Vortheil;

Denn kurz ist vor den Fülsen grofses Uebel

KREON

O komm! o komm!

Eischeine, meiner Verhängnisse schönstes,
1380

Den endlichen Tag mir bringend,

Den lezten. Komm! o komme,

Dass ich nicht mehr den andern Tag schaun muss!

BOTE

Diess kommt. Was aber thun, in dem, was da ist?

Deun solches lieget uns ob, das uns angeht.
1385

KREON

Was ich gesaget, eben, das hab’ ich gewünschet.

BOTE

Du musst nichts wünschen. Vom zuvorgesezten

Verlängnifs hat kein Sterblicher Befreiung.

KREON

Führt Schritt vor Schritt den eiteln Mann. Der ich

Dich, Kind, doch gernenicht, getödtet, sieauch, sie;
1390

Ich Armer weiss nicht, wen ich ansehn soll,

Und nicht, wohin ich gehe.

Denn alles Schiefe hat

Hier in den Händen und hier mir auf das Haupt

Ein wüst Schiksaal gehäufet.
1395

CHOR

Um vieles ist das Denken mehr, denn

Glükseeligkeit. Man muss, was Himmlischer ist, nicht

Entheiligen. Grofse Blike aber

Grofse Streiche der hohen Schultern Vergeltend,

Sie haben im Alter gelehrt, zu denken.
1400

English (Sir Richard Jebb1, 1904) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Sir Richard Jebb1, 1904)) — 1219 focus

Dear lady, I will witness of what I saw, and will leave no word of the truth untold. Why, indeed, should I soothe thee with words in which I must presently be found false? Truth is ever best.—I attended thy lord as his guide to the furthest part of the plain, where the body of Polyneices, torn by dogs, still lay unpitied. We prayed the goddess of the roads, and 1200 Pluto, in mercy to restrain their wrath; we washed the dead with holy washing; and with freshly-plucked boughs we solemnly burned such relics as there were. We raised a high mound of his native earth; and then we turned away to enter the maiden’s nuptial chamber with rocky couch, the caverned mansion of the bride of Death. And, from afar off, one of us heard a voice of Seal wailing at that bride’s unhallowed bower; and came to tell our master Creon.

1210

And as the king drew nearer, doubtful sounds of a bitter cry floated around him; he groaned, and said in accents of anguish, ‘Wretched that I am, can my foreboding be true? Am I going on the wofullest way that ever I went? My son’s voice greets me.—Go, my servants,—haste ye nearer, and when ye have reached the tomb, pass through the gap, where the stones have been wrenched away, to the cell’s very mouth—and look, and see if ’tis Haemon’s voice that I know, or if mine ear is cheated by the gods.’

This search, at our despairing master’s word, we 1220 went to make; and in the furthest part of the tomb we descried Her hanging by the neck, slung by a threadwrought halter of fine linen; while Ze was embracing her with arms thrown around her waist,—bewailing the loss of his bride who is with the dead, and his father’s deeds, and his own ill-starred love.

But his father, when he saw him, cried aloud with a dread cry and went in, and called to him with a voice of wailing:—‘ Unhappy, what a deed hast thou done! What thought hath come to thee? What manner of 1230 mischance hath marred thy reason? Come forth, my child! I pray thee—I implore!’ But the boy glared at him with fierce eyes, spat in his face, and, without a word of answer, drew his cross-hilted sword :—as his father rushed forth in flight, he missed his aim ;—then, hapless one, wroth with himself, he straightway leaned with all his weight against his sword, and drove it, half its length, into his side; and, while sense lingered, he clasped the maiden to his faint embrace, and, as he gasped, sent forth on her pale cheek the swift stream of the oozing blood.

1240

Corpse enfolding corpse he lies; he hath won his nuptial rites, poor youth, not here, yet in the halls of Death ; and he hath witnessed to mankind that, of all curses which cleave to man, ill counsel is the sovereign curse. EURYDICE retires into the house.

Chorus

What wouldst thou augur from this? The lady hath turned back, and is gone, without a word, good or evil.

Messenger

I, too, am startled; yet I nourish the hope that, at these sore tidings of her son, she cannot deign to give her sorrow public vent, but in the privacy of the house will set her handmaids to mourn the household 1250 grief. For she is not untaught of discretion, that she should err.

Chorus

I know not; but to me, at least, a strained silence seems to portend peril, no less than vain abundance of lament.

Messenger

Well, I will enter the house, and learn whether indeed she is not hiding some repressed purpose in the depths of a passionate heart. Yea, thou sayest well: excess of silence, too, may have a perilous meaning. Exit MESSENGER. Enter CREON, on the spectators’ left, with attendants, carrying the shrouded body of HAEMON on a bier.

Chorus

Lo, yonder the king himself draws near, bearing that which tells too clear a tale,—the work of no 1260 stranger’s madness,—if we may say it,—-but of his own misdecds. 1

Creon

Woe for the sins of a darkened soul, stubborn sins, fraught with death! Ah, ye behold us, the sire who hath slain, the son who hath perished! Woe is me, for the wretched blindness of my counsels! Alas, my son, thou hast died in thy youth, by a timeless doom, woe_is_me!—thy spirit hath fled,—not by thy folly, but by mine own!

Chorus

2

1270 Ah me, how all too late thou seemest to see the right !

Creon

Ah me, I have learned the bitter lesson! But then, methinks, oh then, some god smote me from above with crushing weight, and hurled me into ways of cruelty, woe is me,—overthrowing and trampling on my joy! Woe, woe, for the troublous toils of men! Enter MESSENGER from the house.

Messenger

Sire, thou hast come, methinks, as one whose hands are not empty, but who hath store laid up besides; thou bearest yonder burden with thee; and thou 1280 art soon to look upon the woes within thy house.

Creon

And what worse ill is yet to follow upon ills?

Messenger

Thy queen hath died, true mother of yon corpse—ah, hapless lady !—by blows newly dealt. 1

Creon

Oh Hades, all-receiving, whom no sacrifice can appease! Hast thou, then, no mercy for me? O thou herald of evil, bitter tidings, what word dost thou utter? Alas, I was already as dead, and thou hast smitten me anew! What sayest thou, my son? What is this new 1290 message that thou bringest—woe, woe is me !—of a wife’s doom, —of slaughter heaped on slaughter?

Chorus

Thou canst behold: ’tis no longer hidden within. The doors of the palace are opened, and the corpse of EURYDICE is disclosed. 2

Creon

me,—yonder I behold a new, a second woe! What destiny, ah what, can yet await me? I have but now raised my son in my arms,—and there, again, I see 1300 a corpse before me! Alas, alas, unhappy mother! Alas, my child!

Messenger

There, at the altar, self-stabbed with a keen knife, she suffered her darkening eyes to close, when she had wailed for the noble fate of Megareus who died before, and then for his fate who lies there,—and when, with her last breath, she had invoked evil fortunes upon thee, the slayer of thy sons. 3

Creon

Woe, woe! I thrill with dread. Is there none to strike me to the heart with two-edged sword ?—O 1310 miserable that I am, and steeped in miserable anguish!

Messenger

Yea, both this son’s doom, and that other’s, were laid to thy charge by her whose corpse thou seest.

Creon

And what was the manner of the violent deed by which she passed away?

Messenger

Her own hand struck her to the heart, when she had learned her son’s sorely lamented fate. 4

Creon

Ah me, this guilt can never be fixed on any other of mortal kind, for my acquittal! I, even I, was 1320 thy slayer, wretched that I am—I own the truth. Lead me away, O my servants, lead me hence with all speed, whose life is but as death!

Chorus

Thy counsels are good, if there can be good with ills; briefest is best, when trouble is in our path.

Creon

Oh, let it come, let it appear, that fairest of anv. 3. 1330 fates for me, that brings my last day,—aye, best fate of all! Oh, let it come, that I may never look upon to-morrow’s light.

Chorus

These things are in the future; present tasks claim our care: the ordering of the future rests where it should rest.

Creon

All my desires, at least, were summed in that prayer.

Chorus

Pray thou no more; for mortals have no escape from destined woe, 4

Creon

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

As CREON is being conducted into the house, the Coryphaeus speaks the closing verses.

Chorus

Wisdom is the supreme part of happiness; and reverence towards the gods must be inviolate. Great 1350 words of prideful men are ever punished with great blows, and, in old age, teach the chastened to be wise.

English (Robert Potter, 1788) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Robert Potter, 1788)) — 1219 focus

Would show my falsehood? Truth is always plain.

I to the summit of the field thy lord

Attendant

Which bound her flowing robes, her hands had twined.

She lay, and near her lay the youth, his armsi:
1220

Clasp'd round her, mourning the unhappy fate

Of his lost bride, his father's ruthless deeds, l

And all his nuptial joys thus sunk in woe.

When Creon saw him, with a mournful groan

He enter’d, and lamenting thus exclaim/’d,
1225

"O my unhappy son, what dost thou here?ie

"What is thy purpose? What calamity"

"Hath sunk thee thus? Come from this cave, my son,

" Suppliant thy father begs thee." His wild eyes

The youth roll'd fiercely round, and gave strong proof
1230

Of stern disdain and hate; nor made reply,

But drew his pointed sword: his father's flight

The stroke prevented; then th' unhappy youth A

Turning his rage against himself, while yet-1

His arm was raised, in his own side plunged deep
1235

The furious weapon, and, retaining yet, T

His sense, around the virgin threw his arms..

Yet warm, and there expired, with his last breath

Distaining her pale cheeks with drops of blood.

Dead with the dead he lies, and in the house
1240

Of Pluto celebrates his nuptial rites;

A melancholy proof that rash designs

Bring the severest miseries on man.

Chorus
MESSENGER, CHORUS.

Canst thou conjecture what this means? The queen

Is gone, and not a word burst from her lips...
1245

Messenger

I am astonish'd; but my hopes are warm

That dignity of mind from public view

Restrains her grief for her son's fate: retired

Amidst her female train she may indulge

Her sighs and streaming tears: from rash attempts

Her prudence oft experienced is her guard.
1250

Chorus

I know not: but a silence so reserved

Imports some dread event; such are my thoughts:

A clamorous sorrow wastes itself in sound.

Messenger

Let us draw near the house; we soon shall know

If fatal purpose in her troubled mind

Secret she harbours: wise is thy remark;
1255

Silence oppresses with too great a weight.

Chorus

But see, the king advances, in his hands

Bearing the signal token of his woes.

Not from another, might I freely speak,

But from himself arose this fatal ill.
1260

Creon
CREON, CHORUS.

Alas the frenzies of a wayward mind

Ill-judging, rigorous! See their deathful fruits,

The dead to those who slew them how allied!

These are my unblest counsels! Omy son,

My son! Untimely is thy fate, cut off

In youth's fresh prime: yet thou wast blameless; all

The fatal rashness, all the guilt is mine.

Chorus

At length, O king, thou seest what justice is.
1270

Too late I learn it now; then, then the god
1270

Laid on my head this load, impell'd me then
1270

To these rough paths, and all our high-raised joys
1270

Spurn'd to the ground. Oh vain, vain toils of men!
1270

Creon
ATTENDANT, CREON, CHORUS.

My royal lord, what dreadful ills are thine!

There in thy hands thou bearest; in thy house

Others await thee: thou wilt see them soon.

Is their aught worse? Is there aught else of ill?

Thy queen, the mother of this breathless youth,
1325

Gored with fresh wounds, unhappy, is no more.

O thou polluted port of death, why thus,
1330

Why thus dost thou destroy me? What ill sounds,

Ah me, of dreadful utterance hast thou sent!

Chorus

Thou hast brought death to one already dead.....

Attendant

What say'st thou? This is new: and death on death

Is heap'd. My wife a bleeding victim slain !

Thou may'st behold her, to the private scenes

Allotted to the females not removed.

Wretch that I am, another ill I see,

A second ill: and me, unhappy me

What fate yet waits? Before me lies my son
1335

Late slain, and there another new in death;
1335

Unhappy mother, and unhappy son!
1335

Beside the altar by a sudden wound
1335

She fell, and closed her eyes in endless night;
1335

But first lamented the illustrious cave
1335

Creon

Of Megareus, her son first lost; then mourn'd

The fate of Hæmon; and with solemn grief

Bewail'd thy cruel deeds which slew thy sons.

Chill horrow shakes my frame. O wretch, wretch, wretch!

Will no kind hand plunge deep th' avenging sword,

Deep in my breast, and end an hated lifeti

Conflicting 'midst inextricable woend of

Amidst her anguish with her dying breath

She charged thee with the death of both her sons.

How did her hand inflict this deadly wound!

Soon as she heard her son's lamented death, vi

In her sad heart she plunged the fatal sword

Not on another can this fault be charged;

Noit is all my own; the deed was mine;

I, O my son, I slew thee! Lead me hence,

Far hence with speed oh lead me, for I now

Am nothing; no, I have no being now. O

Chorus

Well hast thou judged, if aught in in ill's be well!

Calamities, when present to the view,

Though slight, with keenest anguish pierce the sense!

Creon

Advance, advance, appear thou last and best

Of all my fortunes; bring my final day l

Haste, that another day I ne'er may see nod

These things are future, leave them to the gods.
1340

But what is present how must we dispose
1340

But what I warmly wish I made my pray'r..

Make now no wish, no pray'r: to mortal man

There is no refuge from his destined woe od

Take hence this lifeless shadow. Omy song

I slew thee, but I purposed not thy death biol

Thee too, my wife, I slew. Unhappy me!!
1345

Ah, which way shall I turn? where rest my thoughts?
1345

All is distraction, all is ruin: fate

Bursts on my head, resistless in its force

Chorus

To happiness the best, the surest guide

Is wisdom: but irreverence to the gods

Becomes not mortal man; the mighty vaunts
1350

Of pride, with mighty punishments repaid,

Teach his old age thus humbled to be wise.

English (Sir Richard Jebb2, 1904) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Sir Richard Jebb2, 1904)) — 1261-1345 focus

Creon

Ah, the blunders of an unthinking mind, blunders of rigidity, yielding death! Oh, you witnesses of the killers and the killed, both of one family!

What misery arises from my reasonings! Haemon, you have died after a young life, youngest and last of my sons! O God! You have departed not by your foolishness, but by my own!
1265

1270

Chorus

Ah, how late you seem to see the right!
1270

Creon

God, I have mastered the bitter lesson! But then, then, I think, some god struck me on my head with a crushing weight, and drove me into savage paths,

—ah!—and overthrew my joy to be trampled on! Ah, the labors men must toil through!
1275

1278 Enter the Messenger from the house.

Messenger

My master, you have come, I think, like one whose hands are not empty, but who has a ready store: first, you carry that burden visible in your arms;

second, you will soon look upon further sufferings inside your house.
1280

1281

Creon

What worse suffering is still to follow upon these sufferings?

Messenger

Your wife is dead, true mother of that corpse, poor lady, by wounds newly cut.

1284

Creon

O harbor of Hades, hard to purify!

Why, why do you ruin me? Herald of evil, of grief, what word do you say? Ah, you have done in a dead man anew! What are you saying, boy? What is this you report to me
1285

God no!—what new slaughter, my wife’s doom, is heaped upon this ruin?
1290

1293 The doors of the palace are opened, and the corpse of Eurydice is disclosed.

Chorus

The sight is at hand. It is no longer hidden inside.

1294

Creon

Ah, misery!

There I see a new, a second evil! What destiny, ah, what, can still await me? I have just now taken my son in my arms, and now I see another corpse before me!
1295

Oh, tormented mother! Oh, my son!
1300

Messenger

By the altar, with a sharp-whetted sword, she struck until her eyes went slack and dark. Before that she bewailed the noble fate of Megareus who died earlier, and then the fate of this boy, and also, with her last breath,

she called down evil fortune upon you, the slayer of her sons.
1305

1306

Creon

Ah, no! I tremble with fear. Why does no one strike me full on my chest with a two-edged sword?

I am miserable—ah—and bathed in miserable anguish!
1310

Messenger

Yes, because you were accused of responsibility for both this son’s death, and the other’s, by her whose corpse you see.

Creon

What was the manner of the violent deed by which she departed?

Messenger

Her own hand struck her to the heart upon learning her son’s sharply-lamented fate.
1315

1317

Creon

Ah this guilt can never be fastened onto any other mortal so as to remove my own! It was I, yes, I, who killed you, I the wretch.

I admit the truth. Lead me away, my servants, lead me from here with all haste, who am no more than a dead man!
1320

Chorus

The course you recommend is to your gain, if there can be gain amidst evil. What is briefest is best, when trouble lies at your feet.
1325

1328

Creon

Let it come, let it appear, that fairest of fates for me, that brings my final day,

the fate supreme! Oh, let it come, so that I may never see tomorrow’s light!
1330

1334

Chorus

These things are in the future. We must see to present affairs.

Fulfillment of these things rests in the hands where it should rest.
1335

Creon

All that I crave was summed in that prayer.

Chorus

Then pray no more; for mortals have no release from destined misfortune.

1339

Creon

Lead me away, I beg you, a rash, useless man.

I have murdered you, son, unwittingly, and you, too, my wife—the misery! I do not know which way I should look, or where I should seek support. All is
1340

amiss that is in my hands, and, again, a crushing fate has leapt upon my head.
1345

As Creon is being conducted into the house, the Chorus Leader speaks the closing verses.

Chorus

Wisdom is provided as the chief part of happiness, and our dealings with the gods must be in no way unholy. The great words of arrogant men have to make repayment with great blows, and in old age teach wisdom.

Notes on the current edition

Antigone

1. Campbell cites line 1344-1346, which is not represented by the same numbered line span in the Storr reference XML; the link targets the narrowest available Storr passage, 1345-1346.

Commentary

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

mvp-comment-320-1 εἵλου ¹

mvp-comment-320-2 ζῆν ²

mvp-comment-321-1 ἐπ’ ἀρρήτοις … τοῖς ἐμ. λ. ³

mvp-comment-322-1 σὺ μὲν τοῖς ⁴

mvp-comment-323-1 καὶ μήν ⁵

mvp-comment-324-1 θάρσει ⁶

mvp-comment-324-2 ἡ ἐμὴ ψυχή ⁷

mvp-comment-324-3 πάλαι ⁸

mvp-comment-324-4 ὥστε τοῖς θ. ὠφελεῖν ⁹

mvp-comment-325-1 L gives τὼ παῖδε φημὶ ¹⁰

mvp-comment-325-2 τὼ παῖδε … τὴν μὲν … τὴν δέ ¹¹

mvp-comment-325-3 ἀρτίως ¹²

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 ¹³

mvp-comment-326-3 τοῖς κ. πράσσουσιν ¹⁴

mvp-comment-326-4 ἐξίσταται ¹⁵

mvp-comment-327-1 σοὶ γοῦν ¹⁶

mvp-comment-327-2 κακοῖς ¹⁷

mvp-comment-328-1 τῆσδ’ ἄτερ ¹⁸ μόνῃ ¹⁹

mvp-comment-328-2 βιώσιμον ²⁰ τί ²¹

mvp-comment-329-1 ἀλλὰ … μέντοι ²²

mvp-comment-329-2 ἥδε μὴ λέγε ²³

mvp-comment-330-1 νυμφεῖα ²⁴

mvp-comment-331-1 ἀρώσιμοι ²⁵

mvp-comment-332-1 οὐχ ὥς γ’ ²⁶ ἡρμοσμένα ἦν ²⁷

mvp-comment-333-1 υἱέσι ²⁸ υἱάσιν ²⁹

mvp-comment-333-2

υἷα, υἷε, υἷες, υἷας

: cp. Monro Hom. Gr. § 107.—The dat. of interest goes with κακὰς γυναῖκας ³⁰ στυγῶ ³¹

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 ³²

mvp-comment-335-1 ἄγαν γε λυπεῖς ³³

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 ³⁴ ἔφυ ³⁵

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 ³⁶

mvp-comment-339-1 καὶ σοί γε κἀμοί ³⁷

mvp-comment-339-2 μὴ τριβάς ³⁸

mvp-comment-339-3 νιν ³⁹

mvp-comment-340-1 ἐκ δὲ τοῦδε ⁴⁰ γυναικας ⁴¹ ἀνειμένας ⁴²

mvp-comment-341-1 χοἱ θρασεῖς ⁴³ πέλας ⁴⁴ εἰσορῶσι ⁴⁵

mvp-comment-343-1 κακῶν ἄγευστος ⁴⁶

mvp-comment-344-1 σεισθῇ θεόθεν ⁴⁷

mvp-comment-344-2 ἄτας οὐδὲν ἐλλείπει ⁴⁸ ἐλλείπει ⁴⁹

mvp-comment-344-3 γενεᾶς ἐπὶ πλῆθος ⁵⁰ γενεᾶς ⁵¹

mvp-comment-345-1 ὅμοιον ⁵²

mvp-comment-345-2 ποντίαις ⁵³ πνοαῖς ⁵⁴ ὅταν οἶδμα ⁵⁵ ποντίαις δυσπν. Θρ. πνοαῖς ⁵⁶ ἐπιδράμῃ ἔρεβος ὕφαλον ⁵⁷ Θρῄσσαισιν ⁵⁸

mvp-comment-346-1 κελαινὰν θῖνα ⁵⁹

mvp-comment-346-2 δυσάνεμοι ⁶⁰ δυσάνεμον ⁶¹

mvp-comment-346-3 στόνῳ βρ.· ⁶²

mvp-comment-346-4 ἀντιπλῆγες ⁶³ ἀκταί ⁶⁴

mvp-comment-347-1 ἀρχαῖα ⁶⁵

mvp-comment-347-2 ὁρῶμαι ⁶⁶ οἴκων ⁶⁷ φθι^τῶν ⁶⁸

mvp-comment-348-1 ἀπαλλάσσει ⁶⁹

mvp-comment-348-2 γενεὰν γένος ⁷⁰ ἔχει ⁷¹

mvp-comment-348-3 λύσιν ⁷²

mvp-comment-349-1 νῦν γὰρ ἐσχάτας ⁷³ ὃ τέτατο ⁷⁴ ἐτέτατο ⁷⁵ κατ’ αὖ ⁷⁶ ὑπέρ ⁷⁷ ὅπερ ⁷⁸ ὃ τέτατο ⁷⁹ νιν ⁸⁰ φάος ⁸¹ ἐσχάτη ῥίζα ⁸² φάος ⁸³ νιν ⁸⁴ φάος ⁸⁵ θάλος ⁸⁶ τέτατο ⁸⁷ ῥίζας ⁸⁸

mvp-comment-350-1 κατ’ αὖ … ἀμᾷ, ⁸⁹ κοπίς ⁹⁰ κόνις ⁹¹ κόνις ⁹²

mvp-comment-350-2 (1) If κόνις ⁹³ καταμᾷ ⁹⁴

mvp-comment-350-3 (2) If we read κοπίς ⁹⁵

mvp-comment-350-4 It has further been urged against

κοπίς

that the word is too homely. This may be so; but we lack proof.

κοπίς

seems to have been a large curved knife, known to the Greeks chiefly as ( a) a butcher's or cook's implement, ( b) an oriental military weapon. It does not follow, however, that the effect here would be like that of ‘chopper,’ or of ‘scimitar,’ in English. The dignity of a word may be protected by its simplicity; and

κοπίς

is merely ‘that which cuts.’ Pindar was not afraid of homeliness when he described a chorus-master as a

κρατήρ

, or an inspiring thought as an

ἀκόνα

(cp. O. C. 1052 n.). Nicander could say, of the scorpion,

τοίη οἱ κέντροιο κοπίς

( Ther. 780 ). If

κοπίς

be right, the change to

κόνις

may have been caused, not by a misreading of letters, but by mere inadvertence,—the copyist having the word

κόνις

in his thoughts at the moment: it has already occurred frequently ( 247 , 256 , 409 , 429 ).—See Appendix.

mvp-comment-351-1 λόγου … ἄνοια ⁹⁶ φρενῶν ἐρινύς ⁹⁷

mvp-comment-352-1 τεάν ⁹⁸

mvp-comment-352-2 δύνα^σιν ⁹⁹

mvp-comment-352-3 κατάσχοι ¹⁰⁰

mvp-comment-353-1 The MS. παντογήρως ¹⁰¹ παντοθήρας ¹⁰² παντόθηρος ¹⁰³ πάντ’ ἀγρεύων ¹⁰⁴

mvp-comment-354-1 The MS. οὔτ’ ἀκάματοι θεῶν ¹⁰⁵

mvp-comment-354-2

οὐδὲν ἕρπει

. Far the best emendation is οὔτε θεῶν ἄκματοι ¹⁰⁶ θεῶν ¹⁰⁷ θεῶν μῆνες ¹⁰⁸ θεῶν ¹⁰⁹ οὔτε ¹¹⁰

mvp-comment-354-3 ἄκματοι ¹¹¹

mvp-comment-355-1 I doubt whether the dat. χρόνῳ ¹¹²

mvp-comment-355-2 μαρμαρόεσσαν ¹¹³

mvp-comment-356-1 τό τ’ ἔπειτα ¹¹⁴ τὸ μέλλον ¹¹⁵

mvp-comment-356-2 καὶ τὸ πρίν ¹¹⁹ ἐπαρκέσει ¹²⁰

mvp-comment-357-1 πάμπολύ γ’ ¹²¹

mvp-comment-357-2 ἕρπει ¹²² ἕρπειν ¹²³ ἕρπει ¹²⁴

mvp-comment-357-3 πάμπολις ¹²⁵

mvp-comment-358-1 ἁ γὰρ δή ¹²⁶ γάρ ¹²⁷ πολύπλαγκτος ¹²⁸

mvp-comment-358-2 oft tossed up and down, ploughing a sea of vain deceits.’—

πολύπλαγκτος

might also be act., ‘causing men to err greatly’; but this is less fitting here.

mvp-comment-359-1 πολλοῖς μὲν ὄνασις ¹²⁹

mvp-comment-360-1 ἀπάτα … ἐρώτων ¹³⁰

mvp-comment-360-2 κουφονόων ¹³¹

mvp-comment-361-1 The

ἀπάτη

, or final frustration of his desires, ἕρπει ¹³² οὐδὲν εἰδότι ¹³³

mvp-comment-362-1 πρὶν … προσαύσῃ ¹³⁴

mvp-comment-362-2 προσαύσῃ ¹³⁵

mvp-comment-362-3 πόδα ¹³⁶ προσαύσῃ ¹³⁷

mvp-comment-363-1 σοφίᾳ ¹³⁸

mvp-comment-363-2 ἔκ του ¹³⁹

mvp-comment-363-3 πεφάνται ¹⁴⁰

mvp-comment-364-1 τὸ κακὸν δοκεῖν ποτ’ ¹⁴¹ ποτέ ¹⁴²

mvp-comment-364-2 1676 Among them he a spirit of phrenzy sent, Who hurt their minds. Cp.

βλαψίφρων, φρενοβλαβής

. Il. 19.137

ἀλλ’ ἐπεὶ ἀασάμην, καί μευ φρένας ἐξέλετο Ζεύς

. Theognis 403

σπεύδει ἀνήρ, κέρδος διζήμενος, ὅν τινα δαίμων | πρόφρων εἰς μεγάλην ἀμπλακίην παράγει, | καί οἱ ἔθηκη δοκεῖν, ἃ μὲν ᾖ κακά, ταῦτ’ ἀγάθ’ εἶναι, | εὐμαρέως, ἃ δ’ ἂν ᾖ χρήσιμα, ταῦτα κακά

. Lycurgus in Leocr. § 92

οἱ γὰρ θεοὶ οὐδὲν πρότερον ποιοῦσιν ἢ τῶν πονηρῶν ἀνθρώπων τὴν διάνοιαν παράγουσι· καί μοι δοκοῦσι τῶν ἀρχαίων τινὲς ποιητῶν ὥσπερ χρησμοὺς γράψαντες τοῖς ἐπιγιγνομένοις ταῦτα τὰ ἰαμβεῖα καταλιπεῖν· ὅταν γὰρ ὀργὴ δαιμόνων βλάπτῃ τινά, | τοῦτ’ αὐτὸ πρῶτον, ἐξαφαιρεῖται φρενῶν | τὸν νοῦν τὸν ἐσθλόν, εἰς δὲ τὴν χείρω τρέπει | γνώμην, ἵν’ εἰδῇ μηδἐν ὧν ἁμαρτάνει

. The schol. on our verse quotes an unknown poet's lines,

ὅταν δ’ ὁ δαίμων ἀνδρὶ πορσύνῃ κακά, | τὸν νοῦν ἔβλαψε πρῶτον, ᾧ βουλευεται

. (‘Quem Iuppiter vult perdere, dementat prius.’ See n. in Appendix.)— The epic ἔμμεν ¹⁴³

mvp-comment-365-1 ὀλίγιστον ¹⁴⁴ ὀλιγοστόν ¹⁴⁵ πράσσει … ἐκτὸς ἄτας ¹⁴⁶ ἄτας ¹⁴⁷

mvp-comment-366-1 μήν ¹⁴⁸

mvp-comment-366-2 νέατον ¹⁴⁹

mvp-comment-366-3 to a person,

νέατος

could not be said of a sole survivor unless he was also the latest-born.

γέννημ’

: cp. 471 n.

mvp-comment-366-4 ἀχνύμενος ¹⁵⁰ μόρον ¹⁵¹

mvp-comment-367-1 In the MS. reading (see cr. n.)

νύμφης

is a gloss on τάλιδος ¹⁵² τῆς μελλογάμου ¹⁵³ τῆς μελλογάμου ¹⁵⁴ τάλιδος ¹⁵⁵

mvp-comment-368-1 ἀπάτας ¹⁵⁶ λεχέων ¹⁵⁷

mvp-comment-370-1 μάντεων ὑπέρτερον ¹⁵⁸

mvp-comment-371-1 τελείαν ¹⁵⁹

mvp-comment-371-2 ψῆφο<*> ¹⁶⁰

mvp-comment-371-3 ἆρα μή ¹⁶¹

mvp-comment-371-4 τῆς μελλονύμφου ¹⁶²

mvp-comment-371-5 λυσσαίνων ¹⁶³ σοὶ μέν ¹⁶⁴ θυμαίνων ¹⁶⁵

mvp-comment-372-1 σοὶ μέν ¹⁶⁶

mvp-comment-372-2 πανταχῇ δρῶντες ¹⁶⁷

mvp-comment-373-1 σός ¹⁶⁸

mvp-comment-373-2 γνώμας ἔχων χρηστάς ¹⁶⁹ ἀπορθοῖς ¹⁷⁰ μοι ¹⁷¹

mvp-comment-374-1 ἀξιώσεται ¹⁷³ ἀξ. μείζων φέρεσθαι ¹⁷⁴ ἀξίως ἔσται ¹⁷⁵

mvp-comment-374-2 σοῦ καλῶς ἡγουμ. ¹⁷⁶ μείζων ¹⁷⁷

mvp-comment-375-1 γάρ ¹⁷⁸

mvp-comment-375-2 διὰ στέρνων ἔχειν ¹⁷⁹ διά ¹⁸⁰ ἔχειν ¹⁸¹ οὕτω ¹⁸² ἔχειν ¹⁸³

mvp-comment-376-1 (One ought to think thus),—that is, ὄπισθεν ἑστάναι πατρ. γνώμης ¹⁸⁴ πάντα ¹⁸⁵ ἑστάναι ¹⁸⁶

mvp-comment-377-1 ὡς ¹⁸⁷

mvp-comment-377-2 ἀνταμύνωνται ¹⁸⁸ κακοῖς ¹⁸⁹

mvp-comment-378-1 ἄλλο ¹⁹⁰ φῦσαι ¹⁹¹ πλήν ¹⁹² ἄλλο ¹⁹³ εἴποις ¹⁹⁴

mvp-comment-378-2 πόνους ¹⁹⁵

mvp-comment-378-3 γέλων ¹⁹⁶

mvp-comment-379-1 τὰς φρένας γ’ ¹⁹⁷ γε ¹⁹⁸ φρένας σύ γ’ ἡδονῇ ¹⁹⁹

mvp-comment-379-2 φρένας … ἐκβάλῃς ²⁰⁰

mvp-comment-379-3 ὑφ’ ἡδονῆς ²⁰¹

mvp-comment-380-1 ψυχρόν ²⁰²

mvp-comment-380-2 παραγκάλισμα ²⁰³

mvp-comment-381-1 δόμοις ²⁰⁴

mvp-comment-381-2 ἕλκος ²⁰⁵

mvp-comment-381-3 φίλος ²⁰⁶

mvp-comment-382-1 πτύσας ²⁰⁷

mvp-comment-382-2 ὠσεί τε δυσμενῆ ²⁰⁸ τε ²⁰⁹

mvp-comment-383-1 νυμφεύειν ²¹⁰

mvp-comment-384-1 ἀπιστήσασαν ²¹¹ ψευδῆ ²¹²

mvp-comment-385-1 κτενῶ ²¹³

mvp-comment-385-2 πρὸς ταῦτ ²¹⁴

mvp-comment-385-3 ἐφυμνείτω ²¹⁵

mvp-comment-385-4 Δία ξύναιμον ²¹⁶

mvp-comment-386-1 τά γ’ ἐγγ. φύσει ²¹⁷

mvp-comment-386-2 ἄκοσμα ²¹⁸

mvp-comment-386-3 θρέψω ²¹⁹

mvp-comment-386-4 κάρτα τοὺς ἔξω γ. ²²⁰

mvp-comment-387-1 Seidler transposes vv. 663—667, placing them after 671. The object is to bring vv. 668—671 into immediate connection with 662. In this there is one slight grammatical gain; since, as the vv. stand in the MSS.,

τοῦτον ...τὸν ἄνδρα

(668) means, ‘the man who acts thus’ (viz., as described in vv. 666 f.). But the order given in the MSS. is right. The transposition obliterates one of the finest touches in the speech. Creon demands that the obedience of the citizens to the ruler shall be absolute (666 f.). And then he supplements this demand with a remark on the dignity of such obedience. The man who so obeys gives the best proof that he could also rule (668 ff.). Seidler destroys the point of vv. 668 ff. by placing them after 662.

mvp-comment-387-2 The connection of thought in the whole passage—which is slightly obscured by compression—may be most clearly shown by taking the verses in small consecutive groups. (1) 659 f. If I tolerate disloyalty

mvp-comment-387-3 in my own relatives, I shall encourage it in other citizens. (2) 661 f. For (

γάρ

) only a man who is firm (

χρηστός

) where his own relatives are concerned will be found to uphold justice in the State (i.e. will have the authority necessary for doing so). (3) 663 f. Now, I recognise disloyalty in any one who breaks the law and defies the government, as Antigone has done. (4) 666 f. Instead of so doing, the citizen is bound to obey the government in everything. (5) 668—671. There is nothing slavish in that; on the contrary, it shows that the citizen is not only a good subject, but would, if required, be a good ruler;—as he would also be a good soldier.—Then comes the general censure on unruliness (672—676). And then the conclusion:—I must vindicate my authority, and punish Antigone (677 —680).

mvp-comment-388-1 ὑπερβάς ²²¹

mvp-comment-388-2 τοὐπιτάσσειν ²²²

mvp-comment-388-3 νοεῖ ²²³

mvp-comment-389-1 στήσειε ²²⁴

mvp-comment-389-2 καὶ τἀναντία ²²⁵

mvp-comment-390-1 τοῦτον … τὸν ἄνδρα ²²⁶

mvp-comment-390-2 καλῶς...εὖ ²²⁷

mvp-comment-390-3 ἄν ²²⁸ ἄρχειν ²²⁹ θέλειν ²³⁰

mvp-comment-391-1 δορὸς … χειμῶνι ²³¹

mvp-comment-391-2 προστεταγμένον ²³²

mvp-comment-391-3 παραστάτην ²³³

mvp-comment-392-1 πόλεις ὄλλυσιν, ἥδ’ ²³⁴ πόλεις τ’ … ἥδ’ ²³⁵

mvp-comment-393-1 συμμάχου ²³⁶ συμμάχηι ²³⁷ σὺν μάχῃ ²³⁸

mvp-comment-393-2 τροπὰς καταρρήγνυσι ²³⁹

mvp-comment-393-3 τῶν δ’ ὀρθουμένων ²⁴⁰ τὰ πολλὰ σώματα ²⁴¹

mvp-comment-393-4 ἡ πειθαρχία ²⁴²

mvp-comment-394-1 ἀμυντέ’ ²⁴³

mvp-comment-394-2 τοῖς κοσμουμένοις ²⁴⁴ τοῖς κ. ²⁴⁶

mvp-comment-395-1 κοὔτοι … ἡσσητέα ²⁴⁷

mvp-comment-396-1 δεῖ ²⁴⁸ ἐκπεσεῖν ²⁴⁹

mvp-comment-396-2 thrust out: oft. of dethronement (

ἐκπ. τυραννίδος, ἀρχῆς, κράτους

, Aesch. ), or of exile (

χθονός

, O. C. 766 ).

mvp-comment-396-3 κοὐκ ἂν...καλοίμεθ’ ἄν ²⁵⁰

mvp-comment-397-1 μέν ²⁵¹

mvp-comment-397-2 τῷ χρόνῳ ²⁵²

mvp-comment-397-3 κεκλέμμεθα ²⁵³

mvp-comment-398-1 δοκεῖς λέγειν φρονούντως περὶ ²⁵⁴

mvp-comment-399-1 θεοί ²⁵⁵

mvp-comment-399-2 κτημάτων ²⁵⁶

mvp-comment-400-1 ἐγὼ δ’ ὅπως ²⁵⁷

mvp-comment-400-2 μὴ ²⁵⁸ ὅπως ²⁵⁹ μή ²⁶⁰ ὀρθῶς ²⁶¹

mvp-comment-400-3 μήτ’ ἐπισταίμην ²⁶²

mvp-comment-401-1 καλῶς ἔχον ²⁶³ γένοιτο ἂν καὶ ἑτέρῳ ²⁶⁴

mvp-comment-402-1 σοῦ δ’ οὖν ²⁶⁵ σοῦ ²⁶⁶ σοί ²⁶⁷ σὺ δ’ οὐ πέφυκας ²⁶⁸ τις ²⁶⁹ μῆνίν τιν’ ἢ κότον τιν ²⁷⁰

mvp-comment-403-1 τὸ γὰρ σόν ²⁷¹ ὄμμα ²⁷²

mvp-comment-403-2 δημότῃ ²⁷³

mvp-comment-404-1 λόγοις τοιούτοις ²⁷⁴ λόγοις τοιούτοις ²⁷⁵

mvp-comment-404-2 οἷς ²⁷⁶ τέρψει ²⁷⁷ κλύων ²⁷⁸ μή ²⁷⁹ τέρψῃ ²⁸⁰

mvp-comment-405-1 ὑπὸ σκότον ²⁸¹ ἀκούειν ²⁸² ὀδύρεται ²⁸³

mvp-comment-406-1 κάκιστ’ … εὐκλεεστάτων ²⁸⁴

mvp-comment-406-2 ἀπ’ ἔργων ²⁸⁵

mvp-comment-407-1 ἥτις ²⁸⁶ μήθ’ … μήθ’ ²⁸⁷ εἴασε ²⁸⁸ ὀλέσθαι ²⁸⁹

mvp-comment-407-2 αὐτάδελφον ²⁹⁰

mvp-comment-407-3 ἐνφοναῖς ²⁹¹

mvp-comment-408-1 χρυσῆς ²⁹²

mvp-comment-408-2 λαχεῖν ²⁹³ ἀξία ²⁹⁴

mvp-comment-409-1 ἐπέρχεται ²⁹⁵

mvp-comment-410-1 θάλλοντος ²⁹⁶

mvp-comment-410-2 μεῖζον εὐκλείας ²⁹⁷

mvp-comment-410-3 πρὸς παίδων ²⁹⁸ εὐκλεία ²⁹⁹

mvp-comment-411-1 νυν ³⁰⁰

mvp-comment-411-2 φόρει ³⁰¹

mvp-comment-411-3 ἦθος ³⁰² ὡς φὴς σύ ³⁰³

mvp-comment-411-4 κοὐδέν ³⁰⁴

mvp-comment-411-5 τοῦτο ³⁰⁵

mvp-comment-412-1 μόνος ³⁰⁶ φρονεῖν ³⁰⁷ ψυχήν ³⁰⁸

mvp-comment-412-2

αὐτὸς μοῦνος ποικίλα δήνε’

(devices)

ἔχειν, | κεῖνός γ’ ἄφρων ἐστί, νόου βεβλαμμένος ἐσθλοῦ, | ἴσως γὰρ πάντες ποικίλ’ ἐπιστάμεθα

. Isocr. or. 3 § 43 joins Theognis, Hesiod and Phocylides as

ἀρίστους...συμβούλους τῷ βίῳ τῷ τῶν ἀνθρώπων

. They were read in schools.

mvp-comment-413-1 οὗτοι ³⁰⁹

mvp-comment-413-2 διαπτυχθέντες ³¹⁰

mvp-comment-413-3 κενοί ³¹¹

mvp-comment-414-1 ἄνδρα ³¹² μανθάνειν ³¹³ τό ³¹⁴

mvp-comment-414-2 κεἰ … ᾖ ³¹⁵

mvp-comment-414-3 τείνειν ³¹⁶

mvp-comment-414-4 παρὰ ῥείθρ. ³¹⁷

mvp-comment-414-5 χειμάρροις ³¹⁸

mvp-comment-415-1 ὑπείκει ³¹⁹

mvp-comment-415-2 αὐτόπρεμνα ³²⁰

mvp-comment-416-1 αὔτως ³²¹

mvp-comment-416-2 ναός ³²²

mvp-comment-416-3 ἐγκρατῆ ³²³

mvp-comment-416-4 πόδα ³²⁴

mvp-comment-417-1 μηδέν ³²⁵

mvp-comment-417-2 κάτω στρέψας ³²⁶ τὸ πλοῖον ³²⁷ τὸ λοιπόν ³²⁸

mvp-comment-417-3 σέλμασιν ³²⁹ ὑπτίοις ³³⁰

mvp-comment-418-1 εἶκε θυμοῦ ³³¹

mvp-comment-418-2 καὶ μετάστασιν δίδου ³³²

mvp-comment-418-3 δίδου ³³³ εἶκε ³³⁴ καί ³³⁵ καί ³³⁶

mvp-comment-419-1 εἴ τις γνώμη πρόσεστι καὶ ἀπ’ ἐμοῦ ν. ³³⁷ καί ³³⁸

mvp-comment-419-2 πρεσβεύειν ³³⁹

mvp-comment-420-1 φῦναι ³⁴⁰

mvp-comment-420-2 πάντ’ ³⁴¹

mvp-comment-421-1 εἰ δ’ οὖν ³⁴² φιλεῖ γάρ ³⁴³

mvp-comment-421-2 τοῦτο … ταύτῃ ³⁴⁴ ταύτῃ ³⁴⁵

mvp-comment-421-3 ῥέπειν ³⁴⁶

mvp-comment-422-1 καὶ τὸ τῶν εὖ λεγόντων μανθάνειν καλόν ³⁴⁷

mvp-comment-423-1 σέ τ’ ³⁴⁸ διπλᾶι ³⁴⁹ διπλᾶ ³⁵⁰ διπλῇ ³⁵¹ διπλᾶ ³⁵²

mvp-comment-423-2 On the other hand, διπλῇ ³⁵³

mvp-comment-424-1 καὶ ³⁵⁴ διδαξ. ³⁵⁵

mvp-comment-424-2 δή ³⁵⁶

mvp-comment-424-3 τὴν φύσιν ³⁵⁷

mvp-comment-425-1 μηδέν ³⁵⁸ τὸ μὴ δίκ. ³⁵⁹

mvp-comment-425-2 τὸν χρόνον ³⁶⁰ τἄργα ³⁶¹

mvp-comment-426-1 ἔργον ³⁶²

mvp-comment-426-2 τοὺς ἀκοσμοῦντας ³⁶³

mvp-comment-426-3 σέβειν ³⁶⁴

mvp-comment-427-1 οὐδ’ ³⁶⁵

mvp-comment-428-1 τοιᾷδε … νοσῳ ³⁶⁶

mvp-comment-428-2 ἐπείληπται ³⁶⁷

mvp-comment-429-1 Θήβης ³⁶⁸ ὁμόπτολις ³⁶⁹

mvp-comment-430-1 ἡμῖν ³⁷⁰ ἐμέ ³⁷¹

mvp-comment-431-1 ὡς ἄγαν νέος ³⁷²

mvp-comment-432-1 Dobree's με ³⁷³ γε ³⁷⁴ χρή ³⁷⁵ ἄλλῳ ἢ ’μοί ³⁷⁶ ἐμοί ³⁷⁷ χρή γε ³⁷⁸

mvp-comment-433-1 πόλις γὰρ οὐκ ἔσθ’ ³⁷⁹

mvp-comment-433-2

τυραννίς

ἔσχατον πόλεως νόσημα

, Rep. 544 C. de Rep. 3. 31

ubi tyrannus est, ibi...dicendum est nullam esse rempublicam.

mvp-comment-434-1 νομίζεται ³⁸⁰

mvp-comment-435-1 καλῶς ἐρήμης γ’ ³⁸¹

mvp-comment-436-1 Though at least one late MS. (Paris E) has

συμμαχεῖν

, it is needless to assume here the same mixed constr. as Tr. 1238

ἁνὴρ δ’ ὅδ’, ὡς ἔοικεν, οὐ νεμεῖν ἐμοὶ | φθίνοντι μοῖραν

mvp-comment-437-1 οὖν ³⁸² προκήδομαι ³⁸³

mvp-comment-438-1 ὦ παγκάκιστε ³⁸⁴

mvp-comment-438-2 διὰ δίκης ἰὼν πατρί ³⁸⁵

mvp-comment-439-1 ἀρχάς ³⁸⁶

mvp-comment-440-1 οὐ γὰρ σέβεις ³⁸⁷

mvp-comment-440-2 τιμάς ³⁸⁸

mvp-comment-441-1 ὦ μιαρόν ³⁸⁹ γυναικὸς ὕστερον ³⁹⁰

mvp-comment-442-1 ‘I may be inferior to a woman, but at least you will never find me yielding to base temptations.’ It would have been

αἰσχρόν

if he had allowed fear or self-interest to deter him from pleading this cause. ( Cp. 509 .) Cp. Tr. 489

ἔρωτος...ἥσσων

: fr. 844

ἥσσων...ὀργῆς.

mvp-comment-442-2 οὔ τἄν ³⁹¹

mvp-comment-442-3 γε ³⁹²

mvp-comment-443-1 γοῦν ³⁹³

mvp-comment-444-1 καὶ σοῦ γε ³⁹⁴

mvp-comment-445-1 Objections have been made to the traditional order of these verses, chiefly in two respects. (1) 755

εἰ μὴ πατὴρ ἦσθ’

is—it is argued—the strongest thing said by Haemon, and ought therefore to come immediately before Creon's final outburst,

ἄληθες

; (758). How could it be followed by merely so mild a phrase as

μὴ κώτιλλέ με

?—We may reply:— Haemon says that, if Creon were not his father, he would have thought him mad. It is to this that

μὴ κώτιλλέ με

refers, meaning, ‘Do not seek to deceive me by an affectation of filial deference.’ (2) 757

βούλει λέγειν τι

is too mild a remark—it is said—to form the climax of provocation to Creon's anger. We may reply:—It is in substance, if not in form, such a climax, —for a father who holds that unquestioning obedience (640) is a son's first duty. It asserts Haemon's right to maintain his own views against his father's,—

διὰ δίκης ἰέναι

, as Creon put it (742). The traditional order seems, therefore, to be right.

mvp-comment-445-2 Three modes of transposition have been proposed. (1) Enger puts 756 and 757 after 749. Then

κώτιλλε

(756) refers to Haemon's plea that he has his father's cause, and that of religion, at heart. We lose nothing by such a transposition; but neither do we gain.

mvp-comment-445-3 (2) Donner (in his transl., ed. 1863) simply transposed verses 755 and 757, leaving the rest as they stand. For this it may fairly be said that 757 comes very fitly after 754. On the other hand it seems to me that 756 does not aptly follow 757.

mvp-comment-445-4 (3) Pallis arranges thus:—749, 756, 755, 754, 757, 750—753. Thus

κενὰς γνώμας

(753) becomes the last sting.— The fact is that, in a stormy altercation, we do not look for a closely logical texture and a delicately graduated crescendo. The MS. order is (to my mind) the best; but other arrangements are possible, and would be nearly as good.

mvp-comment-445-5 Creon, instead of replying to v. 749, abruptly repeats his resolve.

οὐκ ἔστιν ὡς ταύτην ἔτι ζῶσαν γαμεῖς

(fut.)

ποτέ

, it cannot be that you shall ever wed her while she yet lives; i.e. she is to die at once, and can become your bride, if ever, only

ἐν Ἅιδου

(654). Cp. 1240 .— ὡς ³⁹⁵ ποτέ ³⁹⁶ ταύτην ³⁹⁷

mvp-comment-446-1 ἥδ’ ³⁹⁸ ὀλεῖ τινά ³⁹⁹

mvp-comment-447-1 ἦ ἐπεξέρχει και ἐπαπειλῶν ὧδε θρασύς; ⁴⁰⁰ καί ⁴⁰¹

mvp-comment-448-1 κλαίων ⁴⁰²

mvp-comment-448-2 φρενώσεις ⁴⁰³

mvp-comment-449-1 οὐκ εὖ φρονεῖν ⁴⁰⁴

mvp-comment-450-1 δούλευμα ⁴⁰⁵

mvp-comment-450-2 μὴ κωτιλλέ με ⁴⁰⁶

mvp-comment-450-3 Cp. Theognis 363

εὖ κώτιλλε τὸν ἐχθρόν

(cajole)'

ὅταν δ’ ὑποχείριος ἔλθῃ, | τῖσαί νιν, πρόφασιν μηδεμίαν θέμενος

: id. 851

Ζεὺς ἄνδρ’ ἐξολέσειεν Ὀλύμπιος, ὃς τὸν ἑταῖρον | μαλθακὰ κωτίλλων ἐξαπατᾶν ἐθέλει

mvp-comment-451-1 λέγειν … κλύειν; ⁴⁰⁷ λέγειν τι ⁴⁰⁸

mvp-comment-452-1 ἄληθες; ⁴⁰⁹

mvp-comment-452-2 οὐ τόνδ’ Ὄλ. ⁴¹⁰

mvp-comment-452-3 ἴσθ’ ὅτι ⁴¹¹

mvp-comment-453-1 χαίρων ⁴¹²

mvp-comment-453-2 ἐπὶ ψόγοισι δεννάσεις ⁴¹³ ἐπί ⁴¹⁴ ἔτι ⁴¹⁵

mvp-comment-454-1 ἄγετε ⁴¹⁶ ἄγ’ ἄγε ⁴¹⁷ ἄγαγε ⁴¹⁸

mvp-comment-454-2 τὸ μῖσος ⁴¹⁹

mvp-comment-454-3 κατ’ ὄμματ’ ⁴²⁰

mvp-comment-454-4 παρόντι … πλησία ⁴²¹

mvp-comment-455-1 ἔμοιγε ⁴²² οὔτε ⁴²³ τε ⁴²⁴

mvp-comment-455-2 οὐδαμά ⁴²⁵

mvp-comment-455-3 ἐν ὀφθαλμοῖς ⁴²⁶

mvp-comment-456-1 ὡς ⁴²⁷

mvp-comment-456-2 τοῖς θέλουσι ⁴²⁸

mvp-comment-457-1 ἐξ ὀργῆς ταχύς ⁴²⁹

mvp-comment-457-2 βαρύς ⁴³⁰

mvp-comment-458-1 μεῖζον ἢ κατ’ ἄνδρα ⁴³¹

mvp-comment-458-2 ἰών ⁴³²

mvp-comment-458-3

αἱρήσοιμ’ ἰών

: Ai. 304

ὅσην κατ’ αὐτῶν ὕβριν ἐκτίσαιτ’ ἰών

. So here it scornfully suggests some daring enterprise.

mvp-comment-459-1 For δ’ οὖν ⁴³³

mvp-comment-459-2 τὼ … τώδε ⁴³⁴

mvp-comment-459-3 καί ⁴³⁵ κατακτ. νοεῖς ⁴³⁶ κατακτ ⁴³⁷

mvp-comment-460-1 θιγοῦσαν ⁴³⁸

mvp-comment-460-2 γὰρ οὖν ⁴³⁹

mvp-comment-461-1 καί ⁴⁴⁰ βουλεύει ⁴⁴¹

mvp-comment-461-2 σφε ⁴⁴²

mvp-comment-462-1 ἔνθα ⁴⁴³

mvp-comment-463-1 πετρώδει … ἐν κατώρυχι ⁴⁴⁴

mvp-comment-464-1 ὡς ἄγος μόνον ⁴⁴⁵ ὡς ⁴⁴⁶ ὅσον ⁴⁴⁷

mvp-comment-464-2 ἄγος ⁴⁴⁸

mvp-comment-464-3 Creon's edict had announced that the transgressor would be publicly stoned to death (36). It is to this that the anxious question of the Chorus alludes (772). Creon had already said that Antigone's doom was to be

κάκιστος

(489). But now, at least, he feels that he cannot inflict such a death on the maiden, his kinswoman. She shall die, not by stoning, but by starvation. The choice is not prompted by cruelty, but simply by the desire to avoid physical violence.

mvp-comment-464-4 The danger of a

μίασμα

—to be avoided by a dole of food—has no relation to the special circumstances,—Antigone's royal birth, and the nature of her offence. In the ancient belief, that danger existed whenever a person was put to death by starvation. Two notions were probably blended; ( a) that, if a little food was given, the death was nature's work, not man's; ( b) that the

νέρτεροι

claimed an indemnity for the usual

ἐναγίσματα

. So the Greeks put Philoctetes ashore on desolate Lemnos, —

ῥάκη προθέντες βαιὰ καί τι καὶ βορᾶς | ἐπωφέλημα σμικρόν

( Ph. 274 ). So, too, when a Vestal was to be buried alive, the small vault in the Campus Sceleratus was furnished with a couch, a burning lamp, and a small table, on which the dole was placed,—bread, olives, milk, and a jug of water ( Plut. Num. 10 ).

mvp-comment-465-1 πᾶσ’ ⁴⁴⁹

mvp-comment-466-1 ὃν μόνον σέβει ⁴⁵⁰

mvp-comment-466-2

ἐγγενεῖς

(199). By honouring him, and Hades (519), she has dishonoured those other gods.

mvp-comment-467-1 τὸ μὴ θανεῖν ⁴⁵¹ τεύξεται ⁴⁵²

mvp-comment-468-1 ἀλλὰ τηνικαῦτα ⁴⁵³ τἀν ⁴⁵⁴

mvp-comment-470-1 ἀνίκατε μάχαν ⁴⁵⁵

mvp-comment-471-1 ἐν κτήμασι πίπτεις, ⁴⁵⁶

mvp-comment-472-1 ἐν μαλακαῖς παρειαῖς ⁴⁵⁷

mvp-comment-472-2 ἐννυχεύεις ⁴⁵⁸

mvp-comment-473-1 ὑπερπόντιος ⁴⁵⁹

mvp-comment-473-2 ἔν τ’ ἀγρ. αὐλαῖς ⁴⁶⁰

mvp-comment-474-1 οὔτ’ ἀθανάτων ⁴⁶¹

mvp-comment-474-2 σὲ … φύξιμός ἐστι ⁴⁶²

mvp-comment-475-1 σέ γ’ ⁴⁶³

mvp-comment-475-2 ὁ δ’ ἔχων ⁴⁶⁴

mvp-comment-476-1 ἀδίκους ⁴⁶⁵ παρασπᾷς ⁴⁶⁶

mvp-comment-477-1 ξύναιμον ⁴⁶⁷

mvp-comment-477-2 ἔχεις ⁴⁶⁸

mvp-comment-477-3 ταράξας ⁴⁶⁹

mvp-comment-478-1 ἐναργής ⁴⁷⁰

mvp-comment-478-2 βλεφάρωνἵμερος ⁴⁷¹ εὐλέκτρου νύμφας ⁴⁷²

mvp-comment-478-3 εὐλέκτρου ⁴⁷³

mvp-comment-479-1 πάρεδρος ἐν ἀρχαῖς ⁴⁷⁴ πάρεδρος ⁴⁷⁵ ἐν ἀρχαῖς ⁴⁷⁶

mvp-comment-479-2 The words answer metrically to

φύξιμος οὐδείς

(788). The first two syllables of

πάρεδρος

therefore represent a resolved long syllable. Pindar affords some instances of such resolution (see Appendix), and there is a probable example below (970

ἀγχίπολις Ἄρης

, where see n.). But it is rare, and certainly unpleasing. As

mvp-comment-479-3 a whole, too, the phrase

πάρεδρος ἐν ἀρχαῖς

is suspicious. A yet stronger objection is the strangeness of describing the power which is in conflict with the

θεσμοί

as their assessor, or peer, in sway; an expression which would seem appropriate only if that power was working in harmony with them; as when Eur. ( Eur. Med. 843 ) speaks of

σοφίᾳ παρέδρους...ἔρωτας, | παντοίας ἀρετᾶς ξυνεργούς

,—‘the loves that sit with wisdom, co-workers of all excellence,’—those aspirations of the soul which assist intellectual effort.

mvp-comment-479-4 The best line of emendation yet suggested is that of Semitelos, who writes ὥστε πέρα δρᾶν ⁴⁷⁷

mvp-comment-480-1 ἐμπαίζει ⁴⁷⁸ νικᾷ ⁴⁷⁹

mvp-comment-481-1 καὐτὸς θεσμῶν ἔξω ⁴⁸⁰

mvp-comment-481-2 φέρομαι ⁴⁸¹

mvp-comment-481-3 ἴσχειν δ’ ⁴⁸²

mvp-comment-482-1 πηγάς ⁴⁸³

mvp-comment-483-1 παγκοίτην ⁴⁸⁴

mvp-comment-483-2 of Antigone are brought into finer relief by the different tone of the choral anapaests. Cp. 822 , and see Appendix on 110.—Cp. O. C. 1578 (Death)

τὸν αἰένυπνον

. The word θάλαμον ⁴⁸⁵

mvp-comment-483-3 ἀνύτουσαν ⁴⁸⁶

mvp-comment-485-1 νεάταν … νέατον δέ ⁴⁸⁷

mvp-comment-485-2 νέατον ⁴⁸⁸

mvp-comment-485-3 κοὔποτ’ αὖθις ⁴⁸⁹

mvp-comment-486-1 παγκοίτας ⁴⁹⁰ πάγκοινος ⁴⁹¹

mvp-comment-487-1 ἄγει … ἀκτάν ⁴⁹²

mvp-comment-488-1 οὔθ’ ὑμεναίων … οὔτ’ ἐπινύμφειος … ὕμνος ⁴⁹³

mvp-comment-488-2 οὔτε … ἔγκληρον, … οὔτε … ὕμνησεν ⁴⁹⁵

mvp-comment-488-3 ἐπινύμφειος ⁴⁹⁶ ἐπινυμφίδιος ⁴⁹⁷ ἐπὶ νυμφείοις ⁴⁹⁸ ἐπινυμφίδιος ⁴⁹⁹

mvp-comment-489-1 Ἀχέροντι νυμφεύσω ⁵⁰⁰

mvp-comment-490-1 ξιφέων ⁵⁰¹ ἐπίχειρα ⁵⁰²

mvp-comment-491-1 αὐτόνομος ⁵⁰³

mvp-comment-491-2 δή ⁵⁰⁴ μόνη ⁵⁰⁵ Ἀΐδην ⁵⁰⁶ Ἅιδην ⁵⁰⁷

mvp-comment-492-1 ἤκουσα δή ⁵⁰⁸

mvp-comment-492-2 λυγροτάταν ⁵⁰⁹

mvp-comment-492-3 ξέναν ⁵¹⁰

mvp-comment-493-1 Ταντάλου ⁵¹¹

mvp-comment-493-2 Σιπύλῳ ⁵¹²

mvp-comment-494-1 ἀτενής ⁵¹³

mvp-comment-494-2 πετραία βλάστα δάμασεν ⁵¹⁴ αι^ ⁵¹⁵

mvp-comment-495-1 καί νιν ὄμρροι ⁵¹⁶ τέγγει δ’ ⁵¹⁷ ὄμβρῳ ⁵¹⁸ τακομέναν ⁵¹⁹ τέγγει … δειράδας ⁵²⁰ ὄμβροι ⁵²¹ ὄμβρῳ ⁵²²

mvp-comment-495-2 χιών ⁵²³

mvp-comment-495-3 οὐδαμά ⁵²⁴

mvp-comment-496-1 τέγγει δ’ ὑπ’ ὀφρύσι … δειράδας ⁵²⁵

mvp-comment-496-2 The Niobe of Sipylus has usually been identified with a colossal rock-image on the N. side of the range. It is rudely carved in relief, within a rectangular niche on the face of a limestone cliff, and represents a woman seated on a throne. (See Stark, Niobe, pl. 1, Leips. 1863: cp. Baumeister, Denkm. p. 1029). Prof. W. M. Ramsay, however, holds that this image is the ‘very ancient’

ἄγαλμα

of Cybele mentioned by Paus. 3.22.4 . In two respects it differs from the ancient accounts of the Niobe (quoted below): ( a) it does not ‘weep,’—for the rainwater drops from the front of the niche, clear of the figure; and ( b) the likeness to a human form grows, instead of vanishing, as one approaches. ( Journ. Hellen. Studies III. 61 ff., 1882.) This has been confirmed by another traveller, Herr Schweisthal (as reported in the Berl. Phil. Wochenschr., May 28, 1887, p. 704). He finds the true Niobe at no great distance from the Cybele, but nearer Magnesia, and in the vicinity of a stream (the Jarikkaia) which Humann, in his ‘Excursion into Sipylus’ (1881), had already identified with the Achelous of Il. 24.616 . It is a natural phenomenon,—the semblance—as seen from a distance—of a draped woman, seated high on the rocks; she looks towards the right, and lifts her right arm, as if in lament.

mvp-comment-496-3 The best ancient description is by a poet whose native place was in that neighbourhood,—Quintus Smyrnaeus (1. 293— 306):—‘Her streaming tears still fall from the heights of the rugged cliff; and in sympathy with her the sounding waters of the Hermus make lament, and the lofty peaks of Sipylus, over which the mist that shepherds dread floats evermore. A great marvel is she to passers by, because she is like a sorrowful woman, who mourns some cruel grief, and weeps without stint. Such verily seems the figure, when thou gazest at it from afar; but when thou drawest near, lo, 'tis but a sheer rock, a cliff of Sipylus’ (

φαίνεται αἰπήεσσα πέτρη, Σιπύλοιό τ’ ἀπορρώξ

mvp-comment-496-4 Nonnus was thinking of the effect from the road, when he wrote (2. 160),

ἕσσομαι ὡς Νιόβη καὶ ἐγὼ λίθος, ὄφρα καὶ αὐτὴν | λαϊνέην στενάχουσαν ἐποικτείρωσιν ὁδῖται

. Pausanias, too, says that, at a certain distance from the cliff,

δεδακρυμένην δόξεις ὁρᾶν καὶ κατηφῆ γυναῖκα

, but that the illusion vanishes on a nearer approach (1. 21 § 3).

mvp-comment-497-1 ὁμοιοτάταν ⁵²⁶

mvp-comment-498-1 ἀλλὰ … θανοῦσαν ⁵²⁷ καίτοι ⁵²⁸ ζῶσαν ⁵²⁹ θανοῦσαν ⁵³⁰ οἴμοι γελῶμαι ⁵³¹

mvp-comment-498-2 θεός ⁵³²

mvp-comment-498-3 θεογεννής ⁵³³ θειογενής ⁵³⁴

mvp-comment-499-1 καίτοι ⁵³⁵ φθιμένῃ ⁵³⁶

mvp-comment-499-2 κἀκοῦσαι ⁵³⁷ μέγ’ ἀκοῦσαι ⁵³⁸

mvp-comment-500-1 τοῖς ἰσοθέοις σύγκληρα ⁵³⁹ ἔγκληρα ⁵⁴⁰

mvp-comment-500-2 Hipp. 1011 : or (2) pass., included in one's

κλῆρος

, as H. F. 468

ἔγκληρα πεδία ...κεκτημένος

(‘by inheritance’). Here,

ἔγκληρα

was perh. partly due to a reminiscence of

ἔγκληρον

in 814.—The change of τοῖς ἰσοθέοις ⁵⁴¹ τοῖσι θεοῖσιν ⁵⁴² ι— ⁵⁴³ α— ⁵⁴⁴ τοῖς ἰσοθέοις ἔγκληρα ⁵⁴⁵

mvp-comment-501-1 ζῶσαν … θανοῦσαν ⁵⁴⁶

mvp-comment-502-1 γελῶμαι ⁵⁴⁷

mvp-comment-503-1 πολυκτήμονες ⁵⁴⁸

mvp-comment-504-1 κρῆναι ⁵⁴⁹

mvp-comment-504-2 εὐαρμάτου ⁵⁵⁰

mvp-comment-504-3 ἄλσος ⁵⁵¹

mvp-comment-504-4 ἔμπας ⁵⁵²

mvp-comment-505-1 ὔμμ’ ⁵⁵³

mvp-comment-505-2 ἐπικτῶμαι ⁵⁵⁴ ἐπί ⁵⁵⁵

mvp-comment-506-1 οἵα ⁵⁵⁶

mvp-comment-506-2 φίλων ἄκλαυτος ⁵⁵⁷

mvp-comment-507-1 ἕργμα τυμβόχωστον ⁵⁵⁸ ἕρμα ⁵⁵⁹

mvp-comment-508-1 ποταινίου ⁵⁶⁰

mvp-comment-509-1 Though every treatment of this verse must remain subject to doubt, far the most probable (to my mind) is Seyffert's modification of Boeckh's βροτοῖς οὔτ’ ἐν νεκροῖς κυροῦσα ⁵⁶¹ οὔτε ⁵⁶² κυροῦσα ⁵⁶³ νεκροῖς ⁵⁶⁴

mvp-comment-510-1 μέτοικος ⁵⁶⁵

mvp-comment-511-1 προβᾶσ’ … πολύ ⁵⁶⁶ προσέπεσες ⁵⁶⁷

mvp-comment-511-2 πολύ ⁵⁶⁸ ἐσχάτου ⁵⁶⁹ προσέπεσες ⁵⁷⁰

mvp-comment-512-1 πατρῷόν τινα … ἆθλον ⁵⁷¹ τινά ⁵⁷²

mvp-comment-512-2 ἐκτίνεις ⁵⁷³

mvp-comment-513-1 μερίμνας ⁵⁷⁴ οἶκτον ⁵⁷⁵ πατρός ⁵⁷⁶ πότμου ⁵⁷⁷ οἶκτον ⁵⁷⁸

mvp-comment-513-2 to taking

οἶκτον

as acc. in apposition with

ἔψαυσας...μερίμνας

is that this would imply

τό

(

σε

)

ψαῦσαι ἀλγ. ἐμοὶ μερίμνης οἶκτός ἐστιν

: as Eur. Or. 1105

Ἑλένην κτάνωμεν, Μενέλεῳ λύπην πικράν

, implies,

τὸ Ἑλένην κτανεῖν Μενέλεῳ λύπη πικρὰ ἔσται

: Aesch. Ag. 224

ἔτλα δ’ οὖν | θυτὴρ γενέσθαι θυγατρός, γυναικοποίνων πολέμων ἀρωγάν

, implies,

τὸ θυτῆρα γενέσθαι ἀρωγὴ ἦν

. Now, if we had, for instance,

ἀνεμνήσθην μερίμνης

, it is conceivable that

οἶκτον

, as acc. in appos., should mean

οἴκτου ἀφορμήν

ἔγερσιν

. But when, as here, the subject of

ἔψαυσας

is distinct from the person who makes the lament, it seems impossible that

οἶκτον

should have this pregnant sense.

mvp-comment-513-3 ἀλγ. μερίμνας ⁵⁷⁹ οἶτον ⁵⁸⁰

mvp-comment-513-4 τριπόλιστον ⁵⁸¹

mvp-comment-513-5 κλεινοῖς Λαβδακίδαισιν ⁵⁸² πότμου ⁵⁸³

mvp-comment-513-6 ἁμετέρου ⁵⁸⁴

mvp-comment-514-1 ματρῷαι λέκτρων ἆται ⁵⁸⁵ πατρῷαι ⁵⁸⁶

mvp-comment-514-2

λέκτρον οὐκ ὀκνεῖν με δεῖ

; and ( b) with

πατρῷαι

the explanation by

ἐμῷ πατρί

, etc., would have been less needed.

mvp-comment-515-1 κοιμήματα . . αὐτογέννητα . . ματρός ⁵⁸⁷

mvp-comment-515-2 ἐμῷ πατρί ⁵⁸⁸

mvp-comment-515-3 δυσμόρου ⁵⁸⁹

mvp-comment-516-1 οἵων ⁵⁹⁰ ποτέ ⁵⁹¹ οἵων ⁵⁹² ποτέ ⁵⁹³ οὕς ⁵⁹⁴ οἵων ⁵⁹⁵ ματρός.—ἀραῖος ⁵⁹⁶

mvp-comment-516-2 μέτοικος ⁵⁹⁷

mvp-comment-517-1 κασίγνητε ⁵⁹⁸

mvp-comment-518-1 θανὼν ἔτ’ οὖσαν ⁵⁹⁹

mvp-comment-518-2 κατήναρες ⁶⁰⁰

mvp-comment-519-1 σέβειν ⁶⁰¹

mvp-comment-519-2 sense,

εὐσέβεια

’: i.e. though it is not complete

εὐσέβεια

—which the Chorus regard as including loyalty to the State's laws— yet, so far as it goes, it deserves praise of the same kind. Cp. 924

τὴν δυσσέβειαν εὐσεβοῦσ’ ἐκτησάμην

: by practising

εὐσέβεια

towards the dead, she had come to be thought, on the whole,

δυσσεβής

—as a law-breaker. The Chorus is here the apologist of Creon, and this concession is meant to emphasise the next sentence. Hence the purposed vagueness of σέβειν ⁶⁰²

mvp-comment-520-1 κράτος δὲ ⁶⁰³ ὅτῳ ⁶⁰⁴

mvp-comment-520-2 οὐδαμᾷ ⁶⁰⁵ μέλει ⁶⁰⁶

mvp-comment-521-1 αὐτόγνωτος ⁶⁰⁷ αὐτὴ γιγνώσκουσα ⁶⁰⁸

mvp-comment-521-2 ὀργά ⁶⁰⁹

mvp-comment-522-1 ἑτοίμαν ⁶¹⁰

mvp-comment-523-1 τόδε λ. ἱρὸν ὄμμα ⁶¹¹

mvp-comment-524-1 ἀδάκρυτον ⁶¹²

mvp-comment-524-2 (and so it remains) unwept. Soph. has several instances of the predicative adj. thus added to a subst. which has the art. and possessive pron.; as O. T. 671

τὸ γὰρ σόν, οὐ τὸ τοῦδ’, ἐποικτίρω στόμα | ἐλεινόν

(n.): El. 1143

τῆς ἐμῆς πάλαι τροφῆς | ἀνωφελήτου

. Cp. 791 .

mvp-comment-525-1 ἆρ’ ἴστε ⁶¹³ λέγειν ⁶¹⁴ ἀοιδὰς καὶ γόους ⁶¹⁵ ἴστε ⁶¹⁶

mvp-comment-525-2 οὐδ’ ἂν εἷς ⁶¹⁷

mvp-comment-526-1 οὐκ ἄξεθ’ ⁶¹⁸ τάχιστα.—κατηρεφεῖ ⁶¹⁹

mvp-comment-527-1 περιπτύξαντες ⁶²⁰

mvp-comment-528-1 χρῇ ⁶²¹ ζῶσα ⁶²² χρῇ ⁶²³

mvp-comment-528-2

σιγῆν

; but the MSS. are supported by the testimony of Suidas and Hesychius to

χρῇς

as=

χρῄζεις

. In the other four places where these forms are usu. read, they are not indispensable,

χρή

being possible; but in two, at least, they are much better than

χρή

, viz. El. 606

κήρυσσέ μ’ εἰς ἅπαντας, εἴτε χρῇς κακήν, | εἴτε στόμαργον, κ.τ.λ.

: and Ai. 1373

σοὶ δὲ δρᾶν ἔξεσθ’ ἃ χρῇς

. In the other two,

χρή

might well stand: Eur. fr. 910

πρὸς ταῦθ’ ὅ τι χρῇ καὶ παλαμάσθω | καὶ πᾶν ἐπ’ ἐμοὶ τεκταινέσθω

: Cratinus

Νόμοι

fr. 2

νῦν γὰρ δή σοι πάρα μὲν θεσμοὶ | τῶν ἡμετέρων, πάρα δ’ ἄλλ’ ὅ τι χρῇς

. Except in Ach. 778 , the MSS. everywhere give

χρή

: and the variants in the next v. (see cr. n.) show that

χρῇ

was strange to the copyists, though known to the Scholiast.

mvp-comment-529-1 ζῶσα τυμβεύειν ⁶²⁴ νυμφεύειν ⁶²⁵

mvp-comment-529-2 στέγῃ ⁶²⁶

mvp-comment-530-1 ἁγνοί ⁶²⁷

mvp-comment-530-2 τοὐπὶ τήνδε ⁶²⁸

mvp-comment-531-1 μετοικίας ⁶²⁹

mvp-comment-531-2 δ’ οὖν ⁶³⁰

mvp-comment-531-3 στερήσεται ⁶³¹

mvp-comment-532-1 ὦ τύμβος ⁶³²

mvp-comment-532-2 νυμφεῖον ⁶³³

mvp-comment-532-3 κατασκαφής ⁶³⁴

mvp-comment-533-1 ἀριθμὸν … πλεϊστον ⁶³⁵

mvp-comment-533-2 ἐν νεκροῖς ⁶³⁶ δέδεκται ⁶³⁷

mvp-comment-533-3

πύλαι

to Hades ( O. C. 1569 f.). So Oedipus is led by

Ἑρμῆς ὁ πομπὸς ἥ τε νερτέρα θεός

( ib. 1548 ). As

ἡ ἀφανὴς θεός

she is associated with Hades ( ib. 1556 ).

mvp-comment-533-4 Φερσέφασσα ⁶³⁸ Φ ⁶³⁹

mvp-comment-534-1 κάκιστα ⁶⁴⁰ δή ⁶⁴¹

mvp-comment-534-2 μοῖραν … βίου ⁶⁴² ἐξήκειν ⁶⁴³

mvp-comment-535-1 ἐν ἐλπίσιν τρέφω ⁶⁴⁴ φίλη μὲν … προσφιλὴς δέ ⁶⁴⁵

mvp-comment-536-1 κασίγνητον κάρα ⁶⁴⁶ νῦν δέ ⁶⁴⁷

mvp-comment-537-1 ὑμᾶς ⁶⁴⁸

mvp-comment-537-2 ἔλουσα κἀκόσμησα ⁶⁴⁹

mvp-comment-537-3 χοάς ⁶⁵⁰

mvp-comment-537-4 περιστέλλουσα ⁶⁵¹

mvp-comment-537-5 δέμας ⁶⁵²

mvp-comment-538-1 Few problems of Greek Tragedy have been more discussed than the question whether these vv., or some of them, are spurious. Arist. ( Arist. Rhet. 3. 16 § 9) quotes vv. 911, 912 , and certainly had the whole passage in his text of The Soph. interpolation, then, if such it be, must have been made soon after the poet's death; and has been imputed to his son Iophon (

ὁ ψυχρός

), or some other sorry poet; or to the actors. I confess that, after long thought, I cannot bring myself to believe that Soph. wrote 905—912: with which 904 and 913—920 are in organic unity, and must now stand or fall. Some remarks will be found in the Appendix.

mvp-comment-538-2 The main points (to my mind) are briefly these. (1) The general validity of the divine law, as asserted in 450— 460, cannot be intelligibly reconciled with the limitation in vv. 905—907. (2) A still further limitation is involved in 911 f. She has buried her brother, not simply as such, but because, while he lived, he was an irreplaceable relative. Could she have hoped for the birth of another brother, she would not, then, have felt the duty to be so binding. (3) The composition of vv. 909—912 is unworthy of Sophocles.

mvp-comment-538-3 ’τίμησα ⁶⁵³ εὖ ⁶⁵⁴ τοῖς φρονοῦσιν ⁶⁵⁵

mvp-comment-539-1 ἐτήκετο ⁶⁵⁶

mvp-comment-540-1 βίᾳ πολιτῶν ⁶⁵⁷

mvp-comment-541-1 πρὸς χάριν ⁶⁵⁸

mvp-comment-542-1 Cp. Her. 3.119 , which clearly supplied, not merely the thought, but the form, of these verses:—

ἀνὴρ μέν μοι ἂν ἄλλος γένοιτο, εἰ δαίμων ἐθέλοι, καὶ τέκνα ἄλλα, εἰ ταῦτα ἀποβάλοιμι· πατρὸς δὲ καὶ μητρὸς οὐκέτι μοι ζωόντων, ἀδελφεὸς ἂν ἄλλος οὐδενὶ τρόπῳ γένοιτο

(3.119.6) . Arist. Rhet. 3.16 § 9 (if you introduce a trait of character which will seem improbable, the reason ofit should be added):

ἂν δ’ ἄπιστον ᾖ, τότε τὴν αἰτίαν ἐπιλέγειν, ὥσπερ Σοφοκλῆς ποιεῖ παράδειγμα τὸ ἐκ τῆς Ἀντιγόνης, ὅτι μᾶλλον τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ ἐκήδετο ἢ ἀνδρὸς ἢ τέκνων· τὰ μὲν γὰρ ἂν γενέσθαι ἀπολόμενα

[this=vv. 909, 910]:

μητρὸς δ’ ἐν ᾅδου κ.τ.λ.

(he then quotes 911 f., with

βεβηκότων

,—a mere slip of memory: ).

mvp-comment-542-2 Three points in these vv. are strange. (1) The gen. abs. κατθανόντος ⁶⁵⁹ πόσις ⁶⁶⁰ ἀπ’ ἄλλου φωτός ⁶⁶¹

mvp-comment-543-1 ἐκπροτιμήσασ’ ⁶⁶²

mvp-comment-544-1 διὰ χερῶν … λαβών ⁶⁶³

mvp-comment-545-1 ἀνυμέναιον ⁶⁶⁴

mvp-comment-546-1 ἀλλ’ ⁶⁶⁵

mvp-comment-546-2 πρὸς φίλων ⁶⁶⁶ ἔρημος ⁶⁶⁷

mvp-comment-547-1 δαιμόνων δίκην ⁶⁶⁸

mvp-comment-548-1 If the gods allow her to suffer for obeying them, is it not vain for her to invoke them?

mvp-comment-548-2 βλέπειν ⁶⁶⁹

mvp-comment-548-3 τίνα … ξυμμάχων ⁶⁷⁰

mvp-comment-548-4 ἐπεί γε δή ⁶⁷¹

mvp-comment-548-5 τὴν δυσσέβειαν ⁶⁷²

mvp-comment-549-1 The gods are allowing her to perish. But it does not follow that they approve of her doom: for they are sometimes slow in punishing wrong ( O. C. 1536 ). Hence the dilemma, introduced

mvp-comment-549-2 by ἀλλ’ οὖν ⁶⁷³

mvp-comment-549-3 ἐν θεοῖς ⁶⁷⁴

mvp-comment-549-4 ξυγγνοῖμεν ⁶⁷⁵

mvp-comment-549-5 ἡμαρτηκότες ⁶⁷⁶ παθόντες ⁶⁷⁷

mvp-comment-550-1 οἵδε ⁶⁷⁸

mvp-comment-550-2 μὴ πλείω ⁶⁷⁹ μείω ⁶⁸⁰

mvp-comment-551-1 ἀνέμων‐ῥιπαὶ ψυχῆς ⁶⁸¹

mvp-comment-552-1 τούτων ⁶⁸²

mvp-comment-552-2 κλαύμαθ’ ⁶⁸³

mvp-comment-552-3 ὕπερ ⁶⁸⁴

mvp-comment-553-1 This threat (to the guards) ‘has come very near to death,’ i.e., ‘portends imminent death for me.’ The phrase is not fig., ‘is bitter as death to hear’ (being a prelude to death).

mvp-comment-554-1 Said by Creon, clearly—not by the Chorus. ‘I can give thee no encouragement ( οὐδέν ⁶⁸⁵

mvp-comment-554-2 the doom is not to be ratified on this wise’ (i.e., by death). μὴ οὐ ⁶⁸⁶

mvp-comment-554-3 κατακυροῦσθαι ⁶⁸⁷

mvp-comment-554-4 ταύτῃ ⁶⁸⁸ τάδε ⁶⁸⁹

mvp-comment-555-1 θεοὶ προγενεῖς ⁶⁹⁰

mvp-comment-556-1 δή ⁶⁹¹

mvp-comment-556-2 κοὐκέτι μέλλω ⁶⁹²

mvp-comment-557-1 οἱ κοιρανίδαι ⁶⁹³

mvp-comment-558-1 βασιλειδᾶν ⁶⁹⁴ βασιλίδα ⁶⁹⁵

mvp-comment-558-2 μούνην ⁶⁹⁶

mvp-comment-559-1 εὐσεβίαν ⁶⁹⁷ ια ⁶⁹⁸ εια ⁶⁹⁹

mvp-comment-559-2

εὐγενίας

. The motive was metrical convenience. Such forms are not Ionic, as Triclinius called them (cr. n.): thus Herod. used

ἀληθείη

, not

ἀληθίη

: though there are other cases in which Ionic substitutes

for

ει

(as

βαθέα, ἐπιτήδεος

, etc.).— σεβίσασα ⁷⁰⁰

mvp-comment-561-1 Acrisius, the father of Danaë, was king of Argos. The oracle at Delphi told him that he was to be slain by his daughter's son. He therefore immured the maiden in a chamber built for that purpose within the precincts of his house at Argos. Here Zeus visited her in the golden rain; she bore Perseus; and Acrisius sent mother and child adrift on the Aegean in a chest; but Zeus heard her prayer, and brought them safely to the island of Seriphus. Both Soph. and Eur. wrote a

Δανάη

: Soph. wrote also an

Ἀκρίσιος

mvp-comment-561-2 καὶ Δανάας δέμας ἔτλα ἀλλάξαι οὐράνιον φῶς ⁷⁰¹ ἔτλα καί ⁷⁰²

mvp-comment-561-3 δέμας ⁷⁰³

mvp-comment-561-4 χαλκοδέτοις αὐλαῖς ⁷⁰⁴

mvp-comment-562-1 τυμβήρει ⁷⁰⁵

mvp-comment-562-2 κατεζεύχθη ⁷⁰⁶

mvp-comment-563-1 τίμιος ⁷⁰⁷

mvp-comment-564-1 ταμιεύεσκε ⁷⁰⁸

mvp-comment-564-2 χρυσορύτους ⁷⁰⁹

mvp-comment-565-1 ἁ μοιριδία τις ⁷¹⁰ τις ⁷¹¹

mvp-comment-566-1 οὔτ’ … ὄλβος ⁷¹²

mvp-comment-566-2

θνατοῖσι δ’ οὐκ αὐθαίρετοι | οὔτ’ ὄλβος οὔτ’ ἄκαμπτος Ἄρης οὔτε παμφθέρσης στάσις, | ἀλλ’ ἐπιχρίμπτει νέφος ἄλλοτ’ ἐπ’ ἄλλαν | γαῖαν ἁ πάνδωρος αἶσα.

mvp-comment-566-3 πύργος ⁷¹³

mvp-comment-566-4 οὔτ’ … οὔτ’ ⁷¹⁴ οὐ … οὐχ ⁷¹⁵

mvp-comment-567-1 ζεύχθη ⁷¹⁶

mvp-comment-567-2 ὀξύχολος ⁷¹⁷

mvp-comment-567-3 The

Ἠδωνοί

, or

Ἠδῶνες

( Thuc. 2.99 ), occupied in historical times the part of Thrace E. of the Strymon and W. of the Nestus. In earlier times they had dwelt further west, but had been driven eastward by the Macedonian conquest of Mygdonia.

mvp-comment-567-4 Dionysus, when he came from Asia with his new rites, was opposed by Lycurgus in Thrace, as by Pentheus at Thebes. The

Λυκούργεια

of Aeschylus is known from the schol. on Ar. Th. 135. This trilogy consisted of

Ἠδωνοί, Βασσαρίδες, Νεανίσκοι

, with

Λυκοῦργος

as satyric drama. In Il. 6.130 ff. Dionysus, pursued by Lycurgus, dives beneath the sea; Thetis receives him; and Zeus blinds Lycurgus.

mvp-comment-568-1 κερτομίοις ὀργαῖς ⁷¹⁸ ὀργαῖς ⁷¹⁹ κερτομίοις ⁷²⁰

mvp-comment-569-1 ἐκ Διονύσου ⁷²¹

mvp-comment-569-2 πετρώδει … δεσμῷ ⁷²²

mvp-comment-569-3 κατάφαρκτος ⁷²³

mvp-comment-570-1 οὕτω ⁷²⁴

mvp-comment-570-2 ἀνθηρόν ⁷²⁵

mvp-comment-570-3 ἀποστάζει ⁷²⁶

mvp-comment-571-1 ἐπέγνω τὸν θεόν, μανίαις ψαύων ⁷²⁷

mvp-comment-571-2 μανίαις ⁷²⁸

mvp-comment-571-3 ψαύων ⁷²⁹

mvp-comment-571-4 ἐν ⁷³⁰

mvp-comment-571-5 γλώσσαις ⁷³¹

mvp-comment-572-1 παύεσκε ⁷³²

mvp-comment-572-2 ἐνθέους γυναῖκας ⁷³³

mvp-comment-572-3 εὔιον … πῦρ ⁷³⁴

mvp-comment-573-1 Μούσας ⁷³⁵

mvp-comment-573-2 save the nymph by changing her into a vine; and behind him stand his followers. At the extreme left are three Muses—Urania, with globe; Clio, with roll; Euterpè, prob. with flutes. (Zoega seems clearly right in thus explaining the three women: others have made them Moirae.)—The close relation of Dionysus with the Muses is marked by one of his Attic titles,

Μελπόμενος

( Paus. 1.2.5 ), as conversely Apollo had the title

Διονυσόδοτος

(id. 1. 31.4). Muses were sometimes said to have nursed him. (Cp. Welcker, Götterl. 2. 611.)

mvp-comment-573-3 The monuments relating to the myth of Lycurgus have been critically treated by Michaelis ( Annal. Inst. 1872, pp. 248— 270). The Italian vase-paintings follow a version different from that of Soph. , viz. that the frenzy of Lycurgus was wreaked on his own son and wife. A large Neapolitan vase gives two pictures: in one, we see his murderous rage; in the other, Dionysus sits on his throne in calm majesty, stroking his panther.

mvp-comment-574-1 Cleopatra is the third example. Her father was the wind-god, Boreas: her mother, the Athenian Oreithyia, whom he carried off to his wild home in Thrace. Cleopatra married Phineus, king of the Thracian Salmydessus, on the W. coast of the Euxine, not far from the entrance to the Bosporus. She bore him two sons. He afterwards put her away, and imprisoned her. Her imprisonment is not directly mentioned here: but cp. Diod. 4. 44 , who says of Heracles, when serving with the Argonauts,

τὴν Κλεοπάτραν ἐκ τῆς φυλακῆς προαγαγεῖν

. Phineus then married Eidothea, sister of Cadmus. Eidothea put out the eyes of Cleopatra's two sons, and caused them also to be imprisoned.

mvp-comment-574-2 It is the fate of Cleopatra herself which Soph. means to compare with Antigone's: this is plain from 986. The fate of the sons is made so prominent only because nothing else could give us so strong a sense of the savage hatred which pursued the mother.

mvp-comment-574-3 Soph. supposes the outline of the story to be familiar. Cleopatra has already been divorced and imprisoned. The poet chooses the moment at which Cleopatra's sons are being blinded by Eidothea, with the sharp shuttle in her blood-stained hands. Ares, the god of cruel bloodshed, beholds with joy a deed so worthy of his Thracian realm.

mvp-comment-574-4 The name of Cleopatra (like that of Capaneus, 133) is not mentioned. Two strophes are given to this theme, partly, perh., as having an Attic interest (982). Soph. wrote two plays called

Φινεύς

. We know only that Cleopatra's sons were there called

Ὄαρθος

Παρθένιος

H. Weil) and

Κράμβος

: and that the subsequent blindness of Phineus was represented as a punishment of his cruelty (schol. Apoll. Rhod. 2. 178). Eidothea was mentioned by Soph. in his

Τυμπανισταί

(schol. on 980),—a play which perh. concerned the Dionysiac worship, since the

τύμπανον

(kettle-drum) was used in his

ὄργια

as well as in those of Cybelè. Another version called her Idaea, daughter of Dardanus.

mvp-comment-574-5 παρὰ δὲ Κυανεᾶν πελάγει δ. ἁλός ⁷³⁶ πετρῶν ⁷³⁷

mvp-comment-574-6 of

πελαγέων

into

σπιλάδων

is also erroneous.

mvp-comment-574-7 L's accent, πελάγεων ⁷³⁸ πελάγει ⁷³⁹ παρά ⁷⁴⁰ πελάγει ⁷⁴¹ Κυανεᾶν ⁷⁴²

mvp-comment-575-1 ἀκταὶ Βοσπόριαι ⁷⁴³ Θρῃκῶν ⁷⁴⁴ ἄξενος ⁷⁴⁵ κλῄζεται ⁷⁴⁶ ἠδ’ ⁷⁴⁷

mvp-comment-576-1 ἀγχίπολις Ἄρης ⁷⁴⁸ ἀγχίπτολις ⁷⁴⁹ Ἄρης ⁷⁵⁰ ἀρχαιογόνων ⁷⁵¹

mvp-comment-577-1 Φινεΐδαις ⁷⁵²

mvp-comment-577-2 ἀρατόν ⁷⁵³

mvp-comment-577-3 ἕλκος τυφλωθέν ⁷⁵⁴

mvp-comment-577-4 ἐξ ⁷⁵⁵

mvp-comment-578-1 ἀλαὸν … κύκλοις ⁷⁵⁶

mvp-comment-578-2 ἀλαστόροισιν ⁷⁵⁷

mvp-comment-579-1 ἀραχθέντων ⁷⁵⁸

mvp-comment-579-2 ὑπό ⁷⁵⁹

mvp-comment-580-1 κερκίδων ⁷⁶⁰

mvp-comment-580-2 at the loom, will I send the shuttle flying across the warp’).—Cp. Eur. Hec. 1170 , where the women blind Polymestor with their brooches (

πόρπαι = περόναι

); and O. T. 1269 n.

mvp-comment-581-1 κατά ⁷⁶¹

mvp-comment-581-2 μέλεοι μελέαν ⁷⁶²

mvp-comment-582-1 ματρὸς ἔχοντες ἀν. γονάν ⁷⁶³ γονάν ⁷⁶⁴ ματρός ⁷⁶⁵ ἀνύμφ. ⁷⁶⁶ ματρός ⁷⁶⁷ πάθαν ⁷⁶⁸ ματρὸς … γονάν ⁷⁶⁹

mvp-comment-583-1 σπέρμα ⁷⁷⁰

mvp-comment-583-2 ἀρχαιογ. ⁷⁷¹

mvp-comment-583-3 ἄντασ’ Ἐρ. ⁷⁷²

mvp-comment-584-1 τηλεπόροις ⁷⁷³

mvp-comment-585-1 ἅμιππος ⁷⁷⁴

mvp-comment-585-2 ὀρθόποδος ⁷⁷⁵

mvp-comment-586-1 κἀπ’ ἐκείνᾳ … ἔσχον ⁷⁷⁶ μακραίωνες ⁷⁷⁷

mvp-comment-588-1 ἄνακτες ⁷⁷⁸

mvp-comment-589-1 αὕτη κ. ⁷⁷⁹ πέλει ⁷⁸⁰

mvp-comment-590-1 τί δ’ ἔστιν ⁷⁸¹

mvp-comment-591-1 οὔκουν … γε ⁷⁸²

mvp-comment-591-2 δῑ ὀρθῆς ⁷⁸³

mvp-comment-591-3 ἐναυκλήρεις ⁷⁸⁴

mvp-comment-592-1 πεπονθὼς ὀνήσιμα, ἔχω μαρτυρεῖν ⁷⁸⁵

mvp-comment-593-1 φρόνει βεβώς ⁷⁸⁶

mvp-comment-593-2 τύχης ⁷⁸⁷

mvp-comment-594-1 ὡς ⁷⁸⁸

mvp-comment-595-1 θᾶκον ⁷⁸⁹

mvp-comment-595-2 λιμήν ⁷⁹⁰

mvp-comment-596-1 κακῷ ⁷⁹¹

mvp-comment-596-2 οἴστρῳ ⁷⁹²

mvp-comment-596-3 κλάζοντας ⁷⁹³

mvp-comment-596-4 βεβαρβαρωμένῳ ⁷⁹⁴

mvp-comment-597-1 ἐν χηλαῖσιν ⁷⁹⁵ φοναῖς ⁷⁹⁶

mvp-comment-598-1 The feuds and friendships of birds (

ἔχθραι τε καὶ στέργηθρα

Aesch. PV 492 ) were among the signs noted by augurs. In this case there was a vague omen of bloodshed (

φοναῖς

), but no clear sign. The seer now sought further light by another mode of divination.

mvp-comment-598-2 ἐμπύρων ⁷⁹⁷

mvp-comment-598-3 ἐγευόμην ⁷⁹⁸

mvp-comment-599-1 παμφλέκτοισι ⁷⁹⁹ θυμάτων ⁸⁰⁰

mvp-comment-600-1 Ἥφαιστος ⁸⁰¹

mvp-comment-600-2 a bad sign, if the fire was smothered in smoke, or played feebly around the flesh without consuming it. See Eur. Phoen. 1255

μάντεις δὲ μῆλ’ ἔσφαζον, ἐμπύρους τ’ ἀκμὰς | ῥήξεις τ’ ἐνώμων, ὑγρότητ’ ἐναντίαν, | ἄκραν τε λαμπάδ’, ἣ δυοῖν ὅρους ἔχει, | vίκης τε σῆμα καὶ τὸ τῶν ἡσσωμένων

: the seers ‘were watching for points of flame, or for breaks in it,—such flickering as portends evil’; i.e., they were watching to see whether it would blaze up or die down. The

ἄκρα λαμπάς

is prob. the highest point of the fire, which, if towards the right side, meant victory; if towards the left, defeat. So Statius, Theb. 10. 599 , where Teiresias offers

ἔμπυρα

, and his daughter reports the signs to him (as the

παῖς

does here):

Sanguineos flammarum apices

ἐμπύρους ἀκμάς

)

geminumque per aras | Ignem, et clara tamen mediae fastigia lucis

ἄκραν λαμπάδα

) |

Orta docet: tunc in speciem serpentis inanem | Ancipiti gyro volvi

(‘as if creeping on its way without an aim, the fire played timidly around the offering’). In Seneca Oed. 307 Teiresias asks,

Quid flamma? Larga iamne comprendit dapes? | Utrumne clarus ignis et nitidus stetit, | Rectusque purum verticem caelo tulit, | An latera circum serpit incertus viae, | Et fluctuante turbidus fumo labat?

mvp-comment-601-1 The fat wrapped about the thigh-bones ought to have caught fire, when the flesh on the bones would have been burned, and the bones themselves calcined. But here there was no flame; the kindled fuel lay in smouldering embers (

σποδός

). The heat caused a fatty moisture to exude from the covering of the thigh-bones. Trickling forth on the embers, this moisture emitted smoke, and sputtered as it threw particles of the fat upwards. The gall-bladder, too, which lay on the top of the thighbones, instead of catching fire, was gradually inflated by the heat, till it burst, scattering the gall into the air. And now the melting of the fat which covered the thigh-bones had gone so far that it was no longer a covering, but merely a liquid that was streaming off them, while they themselves were left naked and intact. So utterly had the gods refused the offering.

mvp-comment-601-2 μυδῶσα ⁸⁰²

mvp-comment-601-3 κηκὶς μηρίων ⁸⁰³

mvp-comment-601-4 ἐτήκετο ⁸⁰⁴ ἐπὶ σποδῷ ⁸⁰⁵

mvp-comment-601-5 ἀνέπτυε ⁸⁰⁶

mvp-comment-602-1 χολαί ⁸⁰⁷

mvp-comment-602-2 καταρρυεῖς ⁸⁰⁸

mvp-comment-603-1 μηροί … μηρίων ⁸⁰⁹

mvp-comment-603-2 καλυπτῆς ⁸¹⁰

mvp-comment-603-3 πιμελῆς ⁸¹¹ ἐξέκειντο ⁸¹²

mvp-comment-604-1 τοιαῦτα ⁸¹³

mvp-comment-604-2 ὀργίων μαντεύματα ⁸¹⁴ φθίνοντα ⁸¹⁵

mvp-comment-604-3 ἀσήμων ⁸¹⁶

mvp-comment-605-1 ἡγεμών ⁸¹⁷

mvp-comment-606-1 ἐκ ⁸¹⁸

mvp-comment-606-2 φρενός ⁸¹⁹

mvp-comment-606-3 νοσεῖ ⁸²⁰

mvp-comment-607-1 βωμοί ⁸²¹

mvp-comment-607-2 ἐσχάραι ⁸²²

mvp-comment-607-3 παντελεῖς ⁸²³

mvp-comment-608-1 πλήρεις ⁸²⁴ ὑπ’ οἰων. κ. κυνῶν ⁸²⁵ βορᾶς τοῦ...Οἰδ. γόνου ⁸²⁶ γόνου ⁸²⁷ δυσμόρου ⁸²⁸ πεπτῶτος ⁸²⁹ τοῦ … γόνου ⁸³⁰ βορᾶς ⁸³¹ τοῦ … γόνου ⁸³²

mvp-comment-609-1 κᾆτ’ ⁸³³

mvp-comment-609-2 θυστάδας ⁸³⁴

mvp-comment-610-1 ὅρνι^ς ⁸³⁵

mvp-comment-610-2 εὐσήμους ⁸³⁶

mvp-comment-610-3 βεβρῶτες ⁸³⁷

mvp-comment-610-4 ἀνδροφθόρου ⁸³⁸

mvp-comment-611-1 ἐπεί ⁸³⁹

mvp-comment-611-2 ἄνολβος ⁸⁴⁰

mvp-comment-612-1 ἀκεῖται ⁸⁴¹

mvp-comment-612-2 ἀκίνητος ⁸⁴²

mvp-comment-613-1 αὐθαδία ⁸⁴³ ὀφλισκάνει ⁸⁴⁴

mvp-comment-614-1 εἶκε τῷ θανόντι ⁸⁴⁵

mvp-comment-614-2 κέντει ⁸⁴⁶

mvp-comment-615-1 ἐπικτανεῖν ⁸⁴⁷

mvp-comment-616-1 εὖ φρονήσας ⁸⁴⁸

mvp-comment-616-2 μανθάνειν δ ⁸⁴⁹

mvp-comment-616-3 εἰ … λέγοι ⁸⁵⁰ ἥδιστον ⁸⁵¹

mvp-comment-617-1 ὥστε ⁸⁵² σκοποῦ ⁸⁵³

mvp-comment-618-1 κοὐδὲ μαντικῆς ⁸⁵⁴ ἄπρακτος ⁸⁵⁵ μαντικῆς ⁸⁵⁶ α ⁸⁵⁷ μαντικῇ ⁸⁵⁸ ἄπρατος ⁸⁵⁹

mvp-comment-618-2 τῶν δ’ ὑπαὶ γένους ⁸⁶⁰ τῶν ⁸⁶¹

mvp-comment-618-3 refer to ὑμῖν ⁸⁶² μαντικῆς ⁸⁶³ μαντικοῖς ⁸⁶⁴

mvp-comment-618-4 ὑπαί ⁸⁶⁵

mvp-comment-618-5 γένους ⁸⁶⁶

mvp-comment-619-1 ἐξημπόλημαι ⁸⁶⁷ ἐμπεφόρτισμαι ⁸⁶⁸ ἐκπεφόρτισμαι ⁸⁶⁹

mvp-comment-620-1 τἀπὸ Σάρδεων ἤλεκτρον ⁸⁷⁰

mvp-comment-620-2 τἀπὸ ⁸⁷¹

mvp-comment-620-3 Ἰνδικὸν χρυσόν ⁸⁷²

mvp-comment-621-1 οἱ Ζηνὸς αἰετοί ⁸⁷³

mvp-comment-622-1 οὐδ’ ὥς ⁸⁷⁴

mvp-comment-623-1 θεοὺς μιαίνειν ⁸⁷⁵

mvp-comment-623-2 This view seems to do some injustice to the poet's dramatic psychology. I read the words quite differently. The most orthodox Greek piety held that ‘no mortal could pollute the gods.’ See, for example, H. F. 1232. Heracles, having recovered sanity after slaying his children, has covered his face, to hide it from the holy light of the sun. Theseus —who is a type of normal

εὐσέβεια

— makes him uncover, saying,—

τί δ’; οὐ μιαίνεις θνητὸς ὢν τὰ τῶν θεῶν

. The sungod cannot be polluted by a mortal. The idea of religious

μίασμα

was that a mortal had contracted some impurity which disqualified him for communion with the gods. The tainting of an altar cut off such communion by bringing uncleanness to the very place where men sought to be cleansed. Creon excitedly imagines a seemingly worse profanation, and then excuses his apparent impiety by a general maxim which all would admit:—‘no man can pollute the gods.’

mvp-comment-623-3 ‘The sky-throne of Zeus is still more sacred than his altar on earth: if defilement cannot reach him there, much less here.’ The sophism is of the kind with which an honest but stubborn and wrongheaded man might seek to quiet his conscience. Creon reveres Zeus (304): he feels for the majesty of the gods, and refuses to believe that they can honour the wicked (284 ff.). But his religious sense is temporarily confused by his anger.

mvp-comment-624-1 πολλά ⁸⁷⁶

mvp-comment-625-1 καλῶς ⁸⁷⁷

mvp-comment-626-1 ἆρ’ οἶδεν ⁸⁷⁸

mvp-comment-627-1 τί χρῆμα ⁸⁷⁹

mvp-comment-627-2 πάγκοινον ⁸⁸⁰

mvp-comment-628-1 κτημάτων ⁸⁸¹

mvp-comment-628-2 ὅσῳπερ ⁸⁸² μὴ φρονεῖν ⁸⁸³

mvp-comment-629-1 νόσου ⁸⁸⁴ πλήρης ⁸⁸⁵

mvp-comment-630-1 In

ἀντειπεῖν κακῶς, ἀντί

qualifies the whole phrase: i.e., it means, ‘to revile in return,’

ἀντιλοιδορεῖν

, as

ἀντιδρᾶν κακῶς

( O. C. 1191 )=

ἀνταδικεῖν

mvp-comment-631-1 καὶ μήν ⁸⁸⁶ λέγεις ⁸⁸⁷

mvp-comment-632-1 γένος ⁸⁸⁸

mvp-comment-633-1 τὸ δ’ ἐκ τυράννων ⁸⁸⁹ ἐκ ⁸⁹⁰

mvp-comment-633-2 αἰσχροκέρδειαν ⁸⁹¹

mvp-comment-634-1 ἆρ’ οἶσθα ⁸⁹² ἃ ἂν λέγῃς ⁸⁹³ ταγούς ⁸⁹⁴

mvp-comment-635-1 ἐξ ἐμοῦ ⁸⁹⁵

mvp-comment-635-2 ἔχεις σώσας ⁸⁹⁶

mvp-comment-636-1 τἀκίνητα διὰ φρενῶν ⁸⁹⁷

mvp-comment-637-1 κίνει ⁸⁹⁸

mvp-comment-637-2 μόνον δέ ⁸⁹⁹

mvp-comment-637-3 ἐπὶ κέρδεσιν ⁹⁰⁰

mvp-comment-638-1 οὕτω γὰρ ἤδη ⁹⁰¹ τὸ σὸν μέρος ⁹⁰² καί ⁹⁰³

mvp-comment-639-1 ἴσθι ὡς μὴ ἐμπ. ⁹⁰⁴ ὡς ⁹⁰⁵

mvp-comment-639-2 φρένα ⁹⁰⁶

mvp-comment-640-1 ἀλλ’ εὺ= γέ τοι ⁹⁰⁷

mvp-comment-640-2 μη … τελῶν ⁹⁰⁸ ἥλιον τελεῖν ⁹⁰⁹ κάτισθι ⁹¹⁰ τελῶν ⁹¹¹

mvp-comment-640-3 τρόχους ⁹¹² τροχους ⁹¹³

mvp-comment-640-4 ἁμιλλητῆρας ⁹¹⁴

mvp-comment-641-1 ἐν οἷσι ⁹¹⁵

mvp-comment-641-2 τῶν σῶν … ἐκ σπλάγχνων ἕνα ⁹¹⁶

mvp-comment-642-1 νέκυν νεκρῶν ⁹¹⁷ ἀντιδοὺς ἔσει ⁹¹⁸

mvp-comment-643-1 ἀνθ’ ὧν ⁹¹⁹

mvp-comment-643-2 ἔχεις βαλὼν κάτω τῶν ἄνω ⁹²⁰

mvp-comment-644-1 Bothe, omitting τε ⁹²¹ ψυχήν ⁹²² τῶν ἄνω ⁹²³ τῶν ἄνω ⁹²⁴ τῶν ἄνω … ψυχήν ⁹²⁵ ψυχήν τ’ … κατῴκισας ⁹²⁶ ἀνθ’ ὧν ⁹²⁷ τῶν ἄνω ⁹²⁸

mvp-comment-644-2 ἀτίμως ⁹²⁹

mvp-comment-645-1 ἔχεις δέ ⁹³⁰ τῶν κάτωθεν θεῶν ⁹³¹ νέκυν ⁹³²

mvp-comment-645-2 ἄμοιρον ⁹³³

mvp-comment-645-3

κ. θεῶν

with

ἄμοιρον

: ‘without a portion in the gods below,’ i.e., not admitted to communion with them. But the phrase is a strange one; and the leading thought here is that the

νέρτεροι

are robbed of one who belongs to them.

mvp-comment-645-4 ἀκτέριστον ⁹³⁴

mvp-comment-645-5 ἀνόσιον ⁹³⁵

mvp-comment-646-1 ὧν ⁹³⁶

mvp-comment-646-2 βιάζονται ⁹³⁷

mvp-comment-647-1 τούτων ⁹³⁸

mvp-comment-647-2 λωβητῆρες ⁹³⁹

mvp-comment-647-3 ὑστεροφθόροι ⁹⁴⁰

mvp-comment-648-1 λοχῶσιν ⁹⁴¹

mvp-comment-648-2 Ἅιδου καὶ θεῶν ⁹⁴²

mvp-comment-648-3 ληφθῆναι ⁹⁴³

mvp-comment-649-1 κατηργ. ⁹⁴⁴ οὐ μακρ. χρόν. τριβή ⁹⁴⁵ φανεῖ ⁹⁴⁶

mvp-comment-650-1 The πόλεις ⁹⁴⁷ συνταράσσονται ⁹⁴⁸

mvp-comment-650-2 It has been objected that the play contains no hint of burial having been denied to any one except Polyneices. This is not exactly the case: the phrase

τῶν ἐχθρῶν κακά

in v. 10 is such a hint. But it was unnecessary for the poet to state a fact which all his hearers would assume. Every one knew how Creon had refused burial to the Argives, and how Theseus had recovered their corpses by force of arms. In the Supplices of Eur. the Chorus consists of widows and mothers of the unburied warriors. No Athenian exploit was more famous ( Her. 9.27 ; Isocr. Paneg. § 52 , Encom. Helen. § 31, Panath. § 168; Plat. Menex. 244 ; [Lys. ] or. 2 §§ 4 ff. : [Dem. ] or. 60 §§ 7 ff. ). The war of the Epigoni, which was included in the epic Thebais ( Paus. 9. 9 § 5), was dramatised both by Aesch. and by Soph. (

Ἐπίγονοι

mvp-comment-650-3 Just as, in the O. C. (1410 n.), Soph. glances at the theme of his Antigone, so here he might naturally glance—however indirectly—at a later chapter of the Theban story,—whether his Epigoni already existed, or was still in the future. Dramatically, the reference is the more fitting, since the legend represented Teiresias as still living, and still zealous for Theban welfare, when the Epigoni came.—For other views of the passage, see Appendix.

mvp-comment-651-1 ὅσων ⁹⁴⁹ ὅσων ⁹⁵⁰

mvp-comment-651-2 L's καθήγνισαν ⁹⁵¹ καθήγισαν ⁹⁵² καθήγνισαν ⁹⁵³ καθήγισαν ⁹⁵⁴

mvp-comment-651-3 of

καθήγισαν

here. The Schol. read the latter (

μετὰ ἄγους ἐκόμισαν

). But the fact that L has

καθήγνισαν

must be set against these doubtful testimonies.—For the irony, cp. El. 1487

πρόθες | ταφεῦσιν, ὧν τόνδ’ εἰκός ἐστι τυγχάνειν

(as Gorgias called vultures

ἔμψυχοι τάφοι

λονγιν. π. ὕψους

3 § 2): Aesch. Th. 1020

ὑπ’ οἰωνῶν ... | ταφέντ’ ἀτίμως

: Ennius Ann. 142

volturu' crudeli condebat membra sepulcro:

Lucr. 5. 993

viva videns vivo sepeliri viscera busto.

mvp-comment-652-1 ἑστιοῦχον … πόλιν ⁹⁵⁵

mvp-comment-653-1 σου ⁹⁵⁶ ἀφῆκα ⁹⁵⁷

mvp-comment-653-2 θυμῷ ⁹⁵⁸ καρδίας τοξεύματα ⁹⁵⁹

mvp-comment-654-1 ὦ παῖ ⁹⁶⁰

mvp-comment-655-1 τρέφειν ⁹⁶¹

mvp-comment-655-2 ἡσυχωτέραν ⁹⁶² ω ⁹⁶³ αι ⁹⁶⁴ αι ⁹⁶⁵ ω ⁹⁶⁶ ω ⁹⁶⁷ αι ⁹⁶⁸ αι ⁹⁶⁹

mvp-comment-656-1 τὸν νοῦν … τῶν φρενῶν ἀμείνω ⁹⁷⁰

mvp-comment-656-2 φέρει ⁹⁷¹ τῶν φρενῶν ⁹⁷² ἀμείνω ⁹⁷³ ἢ ⁹⁷⁴ ὧν ⁹⁷⁵

mvp-comment-657-1 ἐξ ὅτου ⁹⁷⁶

mvp-comment-657-2 λευκὴν … ἐκ μελαίνης ⁹⁷⁷

mvp-comment-657-3 ἀμφιβάλλομαι ⁹⁷⁸

mvp-comment-658-1 μὴ ⁹⁷⁹

mvp-comment-658-2 λακεῖν ⁹⁸⁰

mvp-comment-659-1 ἔγνωκα ⁹⁸¹

mvp-comment-660-1 For τε … δέ ⁹⁸² δέ ⁹⁸³ τ ⁹⁸⁴ τε … τε ⁹⁸⁵ τε … δέ ⁹⁸⁶ δέ ⁹⁸⁷

mvp-comment-661-1 ἄτῃ πατάξαι ⁹⁸⁸ θυμὸν ⁹⁸⁹ ἀντιστάντα ⁹⁹⁰

mvp-comment-661-2 ἐν δεινῷ πάρα ⁹⁹¹ πάρα ⁹⁹² ἓν δεινοῦ πέρα ⁹⁹³

mvp-comment-662-1 The question between L's λαβεῖν ⁹⁹⁴ Κρέον ⁹⁹⁵

mvp-comment-663-1 κατώρυχος ⁹⁹⁶

mvp-comment-664-1 I read the impers. δοκεῖ ⁹⁹⁷ δοκεῖς ⁹⁹⁸ δοκεῖς ⁹⁹⁹

mvp-comment-664-2 παρεικαθεῖν ¹⁰⁰⁰

mvp-comment-665-1 συντέμνουσι … τοὺς κ. ¹⁰⁰¹

mvp-comment-665-2 ποδώκεις ¹⁰⁰²

mvp-comment-665-3 βλάβαι ¹⁰⁰³

mvp-comment-665-4 κακόφρονας ¹⁰⁰⁴

mvp-comment-666-1 μόλις μέν ¹⁰⁰⁵

mvp-comment-666-2 ἐξίσταμαι καρδίας ¹⁰⁰⁶

mvp-comment-666-3 τὸ δρᾶν ¹⁰⁰⁷

mvp-comment-666-4 δυσμαχητέον ¹⁰⁰⁸

mvp-comment-667-1 ἐπ’ ἄλλ’. τρέπε ¹⁰⁰⁹

mvp-comment-668-1 ὡς ἔχω ¹⁰¹⁰

mvp-comment-668-2 στείχοιμ’ ἄν ¹⁰¹¹

mvp-comment-668-3 ἴτ’ ἴτ’ ¹⁰¹² εἶ’ ¹⁰¹³

mvp-comment-669-1 οἵ τ’ ὄντες οἵ τ’ ἀπόντες ¹⁰¹⁴

mvp-comment-669-2 ἀξίνας ¹⁰¹⁵

mvp-comment-670-1 ἐπόψιον ¹⁰¹⁶

mvp-comment-671-1 ἐγὼ δ’ ¹⁰¹⁷ ἐπιστράφη ¹⁰¹⁸ τῇδ’ ¹⁰¹⁹

mvp-comment-672-1 αὐτός τ’ ἔδησα ¹⁰²⁰

mvp-comment-673-1 δέδοικα μὴ … ᾖ ¹⁰²¹ τοὺς καθεστ. νόμους ¹⁰²²

mvp-comment-673-2 σῴζοντα … τὸν βίον τελεῖν ¹⁰²³

mvp-comment-675-1 πολυώνυμε ¹⁰²⁴

mvp-comment-675-2 Καδμείας ¹⁰²⁶

mvp-comment-675-3 ἄγαλμα ¹⁰²⁷

mvp-comment-675-4 νύμφας ¹⁰²⁸ βαρυβρεμέτα ¹⁰²⁹

mvp-comment-676-1 The traditional reading, Ἰταλίαν ¹⁰³⁰

mvp-comment-676-2 The only worthy rival of

Ἰταλίαν

is the conjecture Ἰκαρίαν ¹⁰³¹ Ἰταλίαν ¹⁰³²

mvp-comment-677-1 παγκοίνοις ¹⁰³³

mvp-comment-677-2

πάγκοινον ἐς χώραν

(Olympia).

mvp-comment-677-3 κόλποις ¹⁰³⁴

mvp-comment-677-4 Ἐλευσι^νίας ¹⁰³⁵ ι^ ¹⁰³⁶

mvp-comment-678-1 Βακχεῦ ¹⁰³⁷ ὦ ¹⁰³⁸ ὁ ¹⁰³⁹ ματρόπολιν ¹⁰⁴⁰

mvp-comment-678-2 ματρόπολιν ¹⁰⁴¹

mvp-comment-679-1 L has ὑγρὸν … ῥέεθρον ¹⁰⁴² ὑγρῶν … ῥεέθρων ¹⁰⁴³ ῥεῖθρον ¹⁰⁴⁴ ὑγρόν ¹⁰⁴⁵ παρά ¹⁰⁴⁶ ῥεῖθρον ¹⁰⁴⁷ ὑγρόν ¹⁰⁴⁸

mvp-comment-679-2 Ἰσμηνοῦ ¹⁰⁴⁹

mvp-comment-680-1 ἐπὶ σπορᾷ δρ. ¹⁰⁵⁰

mvp-comment-681-1 The general sense is: ‘and on the heights of Parnassus thou holdest thy revels by night amid the Corycian Nymphs, who brandish torches.’

mvp-comment-681-2 διλόφου πέτρας ¹⁰⁵¹

mvp-comment-681-3 By ὑπὲρ διλόφου πέτρας ¹⁰⁵²

mvp-comment-681-4 λιγνύς ¹⁰⁵³ στέροψ ¹⁰⁵⁴

mvp-comment-681-5 ὄπωπε ¹⁰⁵⁵

mvp-comment-681-6 Κωρύκιαι … Νύμφαι ¹⁰⁵⁶

mvp-comment-681-7 The simple transposition, στείχουσι νύμφαι ¹⁰⁵⁷

mvp-comment-682-1 Κασταλίας τε νᾶμα ¹⁰⁵⁸

mvp-comment-683-1 καί σε Νυσαίων ¹⁰⁵⁹

mvp-comment-684-1 κισσήρεις ὄχθαι ¹⁰⁶⁰

mvp-comment-684-2 for the fact was noticed in antiquity (schol. on Aratus Phaenom. 33). Thus Pind. P. 1. 64

ὄχθαις ὕπο Ταϋγέτου

: Eur. Suppl. 655

Ἰσμήνιον πρὸς ὄχθον

.—The

κισσός

was to Dionysus what the

δάφνη

was to Apollo. The crowning with ivy (

κίσσωσις

) was a regular incident of his festivals: he was called

κισσεύς, κισσοκόμης, κισσοχαίτης

. Cp. Alciphron Epist. 2. 3 § 10

μὰ τὸν Διόνυσον καὶ τοὺς Βακχικοὺς αὐτοῦ κισσούς

. F. 3. 767

hedera est gratissima Baccho.

mvp-comment-685-1 πολυστάφυλος ¹⁰⁶¹

mvp-comment-685-2 πέμπει ¹⁰⁶²

mvp-comment-686-1 The words ἀμβρότων ἐπέων ¹⁰⁶³

mvp-comment-686-2 εὐαζόντων ¹⁰⁶⁴

mvp-comment-687-1 τὰν ἐκ πασᾶν ¹⁰⁶⁵ τάν ¹⁰⁶⁶ ἐκ ¹⁰⁶⁷ ὑπερτάταν ¹⁰⁶⁸

mvp-comment-688-1 κεραυνίᾳ ¹⁰⁶⁹

mvp-comment-689-1 ἔχεται ἐπὶ βιαίας νόσου ¹⁰⁷⁰ ὑπό ¹⁰⁷¹ ἔχεται ¹⁰⁷² βιαι^ας ¹⁰⁷³ ἀμὰ ¹⁰⁷⁴ πόλις ¹⁰⁷⁵

mvp-comment-689-2 πάνδαμος ¹⁰⁷⁶

mvp-comment-690-1 μολεῖν ¹⁰⁷⁷

mvp-comment-690-2 καθαρσίῳ ¹⁰⁷⁸

mvp-comment-690-3 κλιτύν ¹⁰⁷⁹

mvp-comment-690-4 πορθμόν ¹⁰⁸⁰

mvp-comment-690-5 στονόεντα ¹⁰⁸¹

mvp-comment-691-1 πνειόντων ¹⁰⁸² πνειόντων ¹⁰⁸³

mvp-comment-691-2 Other conjectures are: (1) ἰὼ πύρπνων ἄστρων χοραγὲ καὶ νυχίων ¹⁰⁸⁴ πῦρ πνεόντων χοραγὲ καὶ νυχίων ¹⁰⁸⁵ χοραγὲ ἄστρων ¹⁰⁸⁶

mvp-comment-691-3 originally preceded

χοραγέ

. Neglect of elision is frequent in L: thus, to take one play only, the O. C. supplies these examples: 266

τἀμά· ἐπεὶ

: 694

ἔστιν δὲ οἶον

: 883

τάδε. ὕβρις

: 915

κύρια ὦδε

: 1026

θηρῶντα ἡ τύχη

: 1210

ἴσθι, ἐάνπερ

. The deletion of καί ¹⁰⁸⁷ νυχίων ¹⁰⁸⁸

mvp-comment-691-4 χοράγ’ ἄστρων ¹⁰⁸⁹

mvp-comment-691-5 νυχίων φθεγμάτων ¹⁰⁹⁰

mvp-comment-692-1 παῖ Διὸς ¹⁰⁹¹

mvp-comment-693-1 ὦναξ ¹⁰⁹²

mvp-comment-694-1 Θυίαισιν ¹⁰⁹³

mvp-comment-694-2 χορεύουσι ¹⁰⁹⁴

mvp-comment-695-1 ταμίαν ¹⁰⁹⁵

mvp-comment-695-2 Ἴακχον ¹⁰⁹⁶

mvp-comment-697-1 δόμων ¹⁰⁹⁷ Κάδμου ¹⁰⁹⁸ πάροικοι ¹⁰⁹⁹ δόμων ¹¹⁰⁰

mvp-comment-698-1 οὐκ ἔστι ¹¹⁰¹ στάντα ¹¹⁰² στάντα ¹¹⁰³

mvp-comment-698-2 βίον ¹¹⁰⁴ ὁποίᾳ ¹¹⁰⁵

mvp-comment-699-1 μάντις … τῶν καθεστώτων ¹¹⁰⁶ ἐφεστώτων ¹¹⁰⁷

mvp-comment-700-1 ὡς ἐμοί ¹¹⁰⁸

mvp-comment-701-1 σώσας … ἐχθρῶν ¹¹⁰⁹ δέ ¹¹¹⁰ τε ¹¹¹¹ λαβών τε ¹¹¹² ηὔθυνε ¹¹¹³ παντελῆ ¹¹¹⁴

mvp-comment-701-2 ηὔθυνε ¹¹¹⁵

mvp-comment-701-3 εὐγενεῖ ¹¹¹⁶

mvp-comment-702-1 ἀφεῖται πάντα ¹¹¹⁷

mvp-comment-703-1 προδῶσιν ¹¹¹⁸ προδῶσιν ¹¹¹⁹ ἀνδρὸς ¹¹²⁰ προδῶσιν ¹¹²¹ ἄνδρες ¹¹²² ἀνδρός ¹¹²³ τὰς γὰρ ἡδονάς ¹¹²⁴

mvp-comment-703-2 οὐ τίθημι ¹¹²⁵

mvp-comment-704-1 For

ζῆν, ζών

has been proposed: but the Epic and Ionic

ζώς

does not occur in

mvp-comment-704-2 τοῦτον ¹¹²⁶

mvp-comment-704-3 ἔμψ. νεκρόν ¹¹²⁷

mvp-comment-705-1 πλούτει … ζῆ ¹¹²⁸

mvp-comment-705-2 εἰ βούλει ¹¹²⁹ ζῆ ¹¹³⁰ σχῆμα ¹¹³¹

mvp-comment-706-1 τὸ χαίρειν ¹¹³²

mvp-comment-706-2 καπνοῦ σκιᾶς ¹¹³³

mvp-comment-707-1 πριαίμην ἀνδρί ¹¹³⁴

mvp-comment-707-2 πρὸς τὴν ἡδ. ¹¹³⁵

mvp-comment-708-1 βασιλέων ¹¹³⁶ αἴτιοι θανεῖν ¹¹³⁷

mvp-comment-709-1 φονεύει ¹¹³⁸ ὁ κείμενος ¹¹³⁹

mvp-comment-710-1 αὐτόχειρ ¹¹⁴⁰

mvp-comment-711-1 φόνου ¹¹⁴¹

mvp-comment-711-2 ὀρθὸν ἤνυσας ¹¹⁴²

mvp-comment-712-1 ὡς ¹¹⁴³ πάρεστι βουλ. τὰ ἄλλα ¹¹⁴⁴ βουλεύειν ¹¹⁴⁵ τὰ ἄλλα ¹¹⁴⁶

mvp-comment-712-2 ὧδ’ ἐχόντων ¹¹⁴⁷

mvp-comment-713-1 καὶ μήν ¹¹⁴⁸

mvp-comment-713-2 Εὐρυδίκην ¹¹⁴⁹

mvp-comment-714-1 κλύουσα παιδός ¹¹⁵⁰

mvp-comment-715-1 ὦ πάντες ἀστοί ¹¹⁵¹

mvp-comment-716-1 Παλλάδος προσήγορος εὐγμάτων ¹¹⁵²

mvp-comment-717-1 τυγχάνω τε … καὶ … βάλλει ¹¹⁵³

mvp-comment-717-2 the sound ( cp. 1172 f. n.). For the temporal parataxis with τε … καί ¹¹⁵⁴

mvp-comment-717-3 κλῇθρα χαλῶσα πύλης ἀνασπαστοῦ ¹¹⁵⁵

mvp-comment-717-4 κλῇθρα ¹¹⁵⁶

mvp-comment-717-5 ἀνασπαστοῦ ¹¹⁵⁷

mvp-comment-717-6 φθόγγος ¹¹⁵⁸

mvp-comment-717-7 οἰκείου ¹¹⁵⁹

mvp-comment-718-1 δῑ ὤτων ¹¹⁶⁰

mvp-comment-718-2 πρὸς δμωαῖσι ¹¹⁶¹

mvp-comment-718-3 ἀποπλήσσομαι ¹¹⁶²

mvp-comment-719-1 καὶ παρὼν ἐρῶ, κοὐδὲν παρήσω ¹¹⁶³ παρὠν ¹¹⁶⁴

mvp-comment-720-1 ὧν ¹¹⁶⁵

mvp-comment-720-2 ὧν ¹¹⁶⁶ ψεῦσται ¹¹⁶⁷ φανούμεθ’ ¹¹⁶⁸

mvp-comment-720-3 ὀρθόν ¹¹⁶⁹

mvp-comment-721-1 ποδαγός ¹¹⁷⁰ ἑσπόμην ¹¹⁷¹

mvp-comment-722-1 πεδίον … ἄκρον ¹¹⁷²

mvp-comment-722-2 νηλεές ¹¹⁷³

mvp-comment-723-1 κυνοσπάρακτον ¹¹⁷⁴

mvp-comment-724-1 τὸν μέν ¹¹⁷⁵

mvp-comment-724-2 ἐνοδίαν θεόν ¹¹⁷⁶

mvp-comment-724-3 θεόν ¹¹⁷⁷

mvp-comment-724-4 εὐμενεῖς ¹¹⁷⁸

mvp-comment-724-5 κατασχεθεῖν ¹¹⁷⁹

mvp-comment-725-1 λούσαντες ἁγν. λουτρόν ¹¹⁸⁰

mvp-comment-725-2 ἐν ¹¹⁸¹ θαλλοῖς ¹¹⁸²

mvp-comment-725-3 )λέλειπτο ¹¹⁸³

mvp-comment-725-4 συγκατῄθομεν ¹¹⁸⁴ εἰσεβαίνομεν ¹¹⁸⁵

mvp-comment-726-1 τύμβον ¹¹⁸⁶

mvp-comment-726-2 ὀρθόκρανον ¹¹⁸⁷

mvp-comment-726-3 οἰκείας ¹¹⁸⁸

mvp-comment-727-1 αὖθις ¹¹⁸⁹

mvp-comment-727-2 For

αὖθις

as=‘afterwards,’ cp. Ai. 1283 , Tr. 270 .

mvp-comment-727-3 λιθόστρωτον ¹¹⁹⁰

mvp-comment-727-4 κόρης νυμφεῖον‐Ἅιδου ¹¹⁹¹

mvp-comment-728-1 κωκυμάτων ¹¹⁹²

mvp-comment-729-1 ἀκτέριστον ἀμφὶ παστάδα ¹¹⁹³

mvp-comment-730-1 ἀθλίας … ἄσημα βοῆς ¹¹⁹⁴

mvp-comment-730-2 περιβαίνει ¹¹⁹⁵

mvp-comment-731-1 μᾶλλον ἆσσον ¹¹⁹⁶

mvp-comment-731-2 ἔπος ¹¹⁹⁷ δυσθρήνητον ¹¹⁹⁸

mvp-comment-731-3 ὦ τάλας ¹¹⁹⁹

mvp-comment-732-1 τῶν παρελθουσῶν ¹²⁰⁰

mvp-comment-732-2 σαίνει ¹²⁰¹

mvp-comment-733-1 ὠκεῖς ¹²⁰²

mvp-comment-734-1 ἁρμὸν χώματος λιθοσπ. ¹²⁰³

mvp-comment-734-2 ἁρμόν ¹²⁰⁴ δύντες ¹²⁰⁵

mvp-comment-735-1 στόμιον ¹²⁰⁶

mvp-comment-735-2 The kind of tomb which the poet here imagines is perhaps best represented, in Greece, by the rock-tombs of Nauplia, and of Spata in Attica. These consist of chambers worked horizontally into the rock, and approached by a passage or

δρόμος

, answering to that which Creon's men have to traverse before they reach the

στόμιον

of the tomb. The general type seems to have been determined by that of the more elaborate domed tombs, such as the so-called ‘Treasury of Atreus’ at Mycenae, which, like these ruder copies, were entered by a

δρόμος

. Indeed, the Nauplia tombs indicate a rough attempt to reproduce the dome (

θόλος

). [See Helbig, Das Homer. Epos aus den Denkm. erläutert, p. 53, with the sources quoted there in nn. 5, 6.]

mvp-comment-735-3 The phrase

λοίσθιον τύμβευμα

(1220) might suggest a recess within the principal chamber, like that in the ‘Treasury of Atreus’; but it is simpler to take it as merely ‘the furthest part of the tomb.’ We may observe that the words

κατῶρυξ

(774) and

κατασκαφής

(891) are sufficiently explained if we suppose that the

δρόμος

leading to the chamber sloped downwards from the entrance.

mvp-comment-736-1 θεοῖσι ¹²⁰⁷

mvp-comment-736-2 κλέπτομαι ¹²⁰⁸

mvp-comment-737-1 The simple correction, κελευσμάτων ¹²⁰⁹

mvp-comment-737-2 With κελεύσμασιν ¹²¹⁰

mvp-comment-737-3 (2) The alternative is to amend ἐξ ἀθύμου ¹²¹¹ ὀξυθύμου ¹²¹²

mvp-comment-737-4 Dindorf writes κελεύμασιν ¹²¹³

mvp-comment-738-1 αὐχένος ¹²¹⁴

mvp-comment-739-1 μιτώδει ¹²¹⁵

mvp-comment-740-1 Haemon has thrown his arms around her waist ( ἀμφὶ μέσσῃ περιπετῆ ¹²¹⁶ προσκείμενον ¹²¹⁷

mvp-comment-740-2 μέσσῃ ¹²¹⁸

mvp-comment-740-3 περιπετῆ ¹²¹⁹

mvp-comment-741-1 εὐνῆς … τῆς κάτω ¹²²⁰

mvp-comment-741-2 πατρὸς ἔργα ¹²²¹

mvp-comment-741-3 λέχος ¹²²²

mvp-comment-742-1 σφε ¹²²³

mvp-comment-742-2 στυγνόν ¹²²⁴

mvp-comment-743-1 οἷον ἔργον ¹²²⁵ τίνα νοῦν ἔσχες ¹²²⁶

mvp-comment-743-2 ἐν τῷ συμφορᾶς ¹²²⁷

mvp-comment-743-3 διεφθάρης ¹²²⁸

mvp-comment-744-1 ἱκέσιος ¹²²⁹

mvp-comment-744-2 ὄσσοισι ¹²³⁰

mvp-comment-744-3 παπτήνας ¹²³¹

mvp-comment-745-1 πτύσας προσώπῳ ¹²³²

mvp-comment-746-1 διπλοῦς κνώδοντας ξίφους ¹²³³ διπλοῦς κνώδοντας ¹²³⁴

mvp-comment-746-2 ἐκ δ’ ὁρμ. ¹²³⁵

mvp-comment-746-3 φυγαῖσιν ¹²³⁶

mvp-comment-746-4 Haemon, in his madness, meant to kill his father. He had harboured no such purpose before ( see on 752

); and his frantic impulse is instantly followed by violent remorse. Arist. ( Arist. Poet. 14 ) observes that it is not conducive to a properly tragic effect (

οὐ τραγικόν, ἀπαθές

) if a person contemplates a dreadful act, and then desists from it, in the light of sober thought or fuller knowledge:

διόπερ οὐδεὶς ποιεῖ ὁμοίως εἰ μὴ ὀλιγάκις

(such incidents in Tragedy are rare),

οἷον ἐν Ἀντιγόνῃ Κρέοντα ὁ Αἵμων

. It need not be assumed that Arist. meant to censure Sophocles; it is more natural to suppose that he cited the exception as one justified by the circumstances. But it should further be noticed that Aristotle was not accurate in taking this incident as the exception which illustrated his rule. For Haemon did not abandon his dreadful purpose; he was simply foiled by his father's flight. And then, in swift remorse, he actually did

τῶν ἀνηκέστων τι

mvp-comment-747-1 ὥσπερ εἶχ’ ¹²³⁷ ἐπενταθείς ¹²³⁸

mvp-comment-747-2 πλευραῖς ¹²³⁹

mvp-comment-747-3 μέσσον ¹²⁴⁰

mvp-comment-747-4 ἔγχος ¹²⁴¹

mvp-comment-747-5 ἐς δ’ ὑγρὸν ἀγκῶν’ ¹²⁴²

mvp-comment-748-1 φυσιῶν ¹²⁴³

mvp-comment-748-2 ῥοὴν ¹²⁴⁴

mvp-comment-749-1 τέλη ¹²⁴⁵

mvp-comment-749-2 ἔν γ’ Ἅιδου ¹²⁴⁶ ἔν γ ¹²⁴⁷ γε ¹²⁴⁸ ἔν γε ¹²⁴⁹

mvp-comment-750-1 δείξας … τὴν ἀβουλίαν ¹²⁵⁰

mvp-comment-751-1 πρόσκειται ¹²⁵¹

mvp-comment-752-1 τί τοῦτ’ ἂν εἰκάς. ¹²⁵²

mvp-comment-752-2 ἐσθλὸν ἢ κακόν ¹²⁵³

mvp-comment-753-1 τεθάμβηκ’ ¹²⁵⁴

mvp-comment-753-2 βόσκομαι ¹²⁵⁵

mvp-comment-754-1 γόους … ἀξιώσειν ¹²⁵⁶

mvp-comment-754-2 ὑπὸ στέγης ¹²⁵⁷

mvp-comment-755-1 προθήσειν ¹²⁵⁸ στένειν ¹²⁵⁹

mvp-comment-755-2 them’ by making a lament, after which her handmaids, sitting around her, will wail in chorus. Il. 24.746 (Andromache has bewailed Hector,)

ὡς ἔφατο κλαίουσ’· ἐπὶ δὲ στενάχοντο γυναῖκες. | τῇσιν δ’ αὖθ’ Ἑκάβη ἀδινοῦ ἐξῆρχε γόοιο

mvp-comment-756-1 γνώμης … οὐκ ἄπειρος ¹²⁶⁰

mvp-comment-757-1 δ’ οὖν ¹²⁶¹ προσεῖναι ¹²⁶²

mvp-comment-758-1 εἰσόμεσθα, μή τι … καλύπτει ¹²⁶³

mvp-comment-758-2 καὶ ¹²⁶⁴ κατάσχετον … καλύπτει ¹²⁶⁵

mvp-comment-758-3 κατάσχετον ¹²⁶⁶

mvp-comment-759-1 δόμους παραστείχοντες ¹²⁶⁷

mvp-comment-760-1 καὶ μήν ¹²⁶⁸

mvp-comment-760-2 ἐφήκει ¹²⁶⁹

mvp-comment-761-1 μνῆμ ¹²⁷⁰ ἐπίσημον ¹²⁷¹

mvp-comment-761-2 διὰ χειρός ¹²⁷²

mvp-comment-762-1 εἰ θέμις εἰπεῖν ¹²⁷³ ἄτην ¹²⁷⁴ ἀλλοτρίαν ¹²⁷⁵

mvp-comment-762-2 ἁμαρτών ¹²⁷⁶

mvp-comment-763-1 This

κομμός

is composed of four strophes and four antistrophes, which correspond as follows. (1) 1st strophe 1261—1269=1st antistr. 1284—1292. (2) 2nd str. 1271—1277 =2nd ant. 1294—1300. (3) 3rd str. 1306—1311=3rd ant. 1328—1333. (4) 4th str. 1317—1325=4th ant. 1339— 1347.

mvp-comment-763-2 The lyric strophes and antistrophes are divided from each other by iambic trimeters, spoken by the Chorus or by the Messenger.—See Metrical Analysis.

mvp-comment-763-3 φρενῶν δυσφρόνων ¹²⁷⁷

mvp-comment-763-4 στερεά ¹²⁷⁸

mvp-comment-764-1 ὦ … βλέποντες ¹²⁷⁹

mvp-comment-764-2 κτανόντας ¹²⁸⁰ θανόντας ¹²⁸¹

mvp-comment-764-3 ἐμφυλίους ¹²⁸²

mvp-comment-765-1 ἐμῶν ἄνολβα βουλευμάτων ¹²⁸³ ἄνολβα ¹²⁸⁴

mvp-comment-766-1 νέος νέῳ ξυν μόρῳ ¹²⁸⁵ νέῳ ¹²⁸⁶

mvp-comment-767-1 ἀπελύθης ¹²⁸⁷

mvp-comment-768-1 ἐμαῖς οὐδὲ σαῖσι ¹²⁸⁸

mvp-comment-769-1 ἔχω μαθὼν ¹²⁸⁹ με ¹²⁹⁰ μέγα βάρος ἔχων ¹²⁹¹ ἐν δ’ ἐμῷ κάρᾳ ¹²⁹² ἔπαισε ¹²⁹³ με ¹²⁹⁴ κάρᾳ ¹²⁹⁵

mvp-comment-769-2 ἐν δ’ ἔσεισεν ¹²⁹⁶

mvp-comment-769-3 ἀγρίαις ὁδοῖς ¹²⁹⁷

mvp-comment-770-1 λακπάτητον ¹²⁹⁸ κ ¹²⁹⁹ ξπ ¹³⁰⁰ κ ¹³⁰¹

mvp-comment-770-2 ἀντρέπων ¹³⁰²

mvp-comment-771-1 φεῦ φεῦ, ὦ ¹³⁰³

mvp-comment-771-2 πόνοι .. δύσπονοι ¹³⁰⁴

mvp-comment-772-1 ὡς ἔχων τε καὶ κεκτημένος ¹³⁰⁵ ἔχων ¹³⁰⁶ κεκτημένος ¹³⁰⁷

mvp-comment-773-1 πρὸ χειρῶν ¹³⁰⁸

mvp-comment-773-2 τάδε ¹³⁰⁹

mvp-comment-773-3 τὰ δ’ ἐν δόμοις ¹³¹⁰ τὰ μὲν … φέρων ¹³¹¹ ἔοικας ἥκειν ¹³¹² καὶ τάχ’ ὄψεσθαι ¹³¹³

mvp-comment-773-4 Since τὰ δ’ ἐν δόμοις ¹³¹⁴ ἥκειν καὶ ¹³¹⁵

mvp-comment-773-5 (

καὶ στᾶθι καὶ

)

εἴσιδε

. Others, indeed, take καὶ τάχα ¹³¹⁶

mvp-comment-774-1 τί δ’ ἔστιν ¹³¹⁷ ἦ ¹³¹⁸

mvp-comment-774-2 (2) Transposing αὖ ¹³¹⁹ ἤ ¹³²⁰ ἦ ¹³²¹

mvp-comment-774-3 (3) Canter gave,

τί δ’ ἔστιν αὖ κάκιον ἐκ κακῶν ἔτι

; The change of

ἐκ

ἢ

would have been peculiarly easy before initial

(KAKIONEKAKON for KAKIONEKKAKON). For ἐκ ¹³²²

mvp-comment-774-4 reading. The comparat. κάκιον ¹³²³

mvp-comment-775-1 παμμήτωρ ¹³²⁴

mvp-comment-775-2 νεοτόμ ¹³²⁵ ἄρτι ¹³²⁶

mvp-comment-776-1 δυσκάθαρτος Ἅιδου λιμήν ¹³²⁷ λιμήν ¹³²⁸

mvp-comment-777-1 κακάγγελτα ¹³²⁹

mvp-comment-777-2 προπέμψας ¹³³⁰

mvp-comment-778-1 ἐπεξειργάσω ¹³³¹

mvp-comment-779-1 ὦ παῖ ¹³³²

mvp-comment-779-2

αὖ

(instead of

ὦ παῖ τίνα

), has not much palaeographical probability. It gives, indeed, a closer correspondence with 1266. But the form of dochmiac which the MS. reading gives here is equally correct. (See Analysis. Met.) Seidler was certainly right in omitting

λόγον

(see cr. n.): and that remedy suffices.

mvp-comment-779-3 Construe: τίνα νέον σφάγιον γυναικεῖον μόρον λέγεις ἀμφικεῖσθαί μοι ἐπ’ ὀλέθρῳ ¹³³³

mvp-comment-779-4 But another version is possible, if

μοι

is taken with

ἀμφικεῖσθαι

: ‘besetting me,’

ἐπ’ ὀλέθρῳ

, for (my) ruin. Cp. 1285

τί μ’ ὀλέκεις

; For

ἐπί

, cp. Thuc. 4.86

οὐκ ἐπὶ κακῷ, ἐπ’ ἐλευθερώσει δέ

. The difficulty is that

ἀμφικεῖσθαι

cannot well be said of one sorrow (Eurydicè's death), and that, therefore, we have to evolve from the epithet

νέον

the notion of a circle of woes of which this

μόρος

is one. Thus the image would be much more obscurely expressed than that in Ai. 351 ,

ἴδεσθέ μ’ οἷον ἄρτι κῦμα φοινίας ὑπὸ ζάλης | ἀμφίδρομον κυκλεῖται

, (‘behold what a surge hath but now burst around me and hemmed me in, under stress of a deadly storm,’) where Ajax is sitting in the midst of the carnage which he has wrought. It is altogether improbable that

ἀμφικεῖσθαι

alludes to Eurydicè's corpse having been brought (by the

ἐκκύκλημα

) into such a position that Creon stood between it and Haemon's. See 1298, where Creon speaks of her as being

ἔναντα

mvp-comment-780-1 ὁρᾶν πάρεστιν ¹³³⁴

mvp-comment-780-2 three or four persons; and was low enough to admit of an actor stepping off it with ease. It was pushed on through the central stage entrance, and was usually brought sufficiently far forward to allow of actors entering or making their exit behind it. Here, the corpse of Eurydicè is evidently in full view of the house ( cp. 1299 ). Soph. has used the

ἐκκύκλημα

in two other plays: El. 1458 (the corpse of Clytaemnestra, with Orestes and Pylades beside it); and in Ai. 344 (Ajax in his tent among his victims). See Albert Müller, Gr. Bühnenalterthümer, pp. 142 ff. (1886).

mvp-comment-780-3 Recent explorations in the Dionysiac theatre at Athens have given rise to a theory that there was no permanent raised stage or proscenium before the Roman age. Even if this could be proved, it would still, however, remain certain that some such expedient as the

ἐκκύκλημα

was used in the fifth century. This is proved by the texts of Aesch. , Soph. , and Eur. , as well as by the two scenes of Ar. where the tragic

ἐκκύκλημα

is parodied ( Ar. Ach. 408 —479; Thesm. 95—238). Ar. has the words

ἐκκυκλεῖν

and

ἐσκυκλεῖν

. Wecklein thinks that the

ἐκκύκλημα

was employed when a part of the interior of the house was to be disclosed, but the

ἐξώστρα

when merely a single object was to be shown; and that the

ἐξώστρα

was used here ( N. Jahrb. 1870, vol. 101, p. 572: Philol. 31. 451). The meaning of

ἐξώστρα

is, however, doubtful.

mvp-comment-781-1 χείρεσσιν ¹³³⁵

mvp-comment-782-1 ἔναντα ¹³³⁶

mvp-comment-783-1 ἥδ’ ¹³³⁷ βωμία ¹³³⁸ βωμία ¹³³⁹

mvp-comment-783-2 ξίφει ¹³⁴⁰

mvp-comment-783-3 Next to Arndt's, the best conjecture seems that of Blaydes, ἥδ’ ὀξυθήκτῳ σφαγίδι βωμίᾳ πέρι ¹³⁴¹

mvp-comment-784-1 λύει κελαινὰ βλέφαρα ¹³⁴² μύει ¹³⁴³

mvp-comment-785-1 Μεγαρέως ¹³⁴⁴

mvp-comment-785-2 κλεινὸν λάχος ¹³⁴⁵ λάχος ¹³⁴⁶ λέχος ¹³⁴⁷

mvp-comment-786-1 κακὰς πράξεις ¹³⁴⁸

mvp-comment-786-2 ἐφυμνής. ¹³⁴⁹

mvp-comment-787-1 ἀνέπταν ¹³⁵⁰ φόβῳ ¹³⁵¹

mvp-comment-787-2 ἀνταίαν ¹³⁵²

mvp-comment-788-1 δείλαι^ος ¹³⁵³

mvp-comment-788-2

Ιτυ—ν ὀλοφύρεται

.—The following are a few among many instances of αι^ ¹³⁵⁴ ο ¹³⁵⁵

mvp-comment-788-3 συγκέκραμαι ¹³⁵⁶

mvp-comment-789-1 ὡς αἰτίαν … ἔχων ¹³⁵⁷

mvp-comment-789-2 τῶνδε … μόρων ¹³⁵⁸ κἀκείνων ¹³⁵⁹

mvp-comment-789-3 ἐπεσκήπτου ¹³⁶⁰

mvp-comment-790-1 κἀπελύσατ’ ¹³⁶¹ καί ¹³⁶² ἐν φοναῖς ¹³⁶³

mvp-comment-791-1 ὑφ’ ἦπαρ ¹³⁶⁴

mvp-comment-791-2 ὀξυκώκυτον ¹³⁶⁵

mvp-comment-792-1 τάδ’ οὐκ ἐπ’ ἄλλον βροτῶν ¹³⁶⁶

mvp-comment-792-2 ἁρμόσει ποτέ ¹³⁶⁷ ἁρμόσει ¹³⁶⁸ ἐκ ¹³⁶⁹

mvp-comment-793-1 μέλεος ¹³⁷⁰

mvp-comment-793-2 φάμ’ ἔτυμον ¹³⁷¹

mvp-comment-794-1 ὅ τι τάχιστ’ ¹³⁷²

mvp-comment-795-1 τὸν οὐκ ὄντα μᾶλλον ἢ μηδένα ¹³⁷³

mvp-comment-796-1 κέρδη ¹³⁷⁴

mvp-comment-796-2 τὰ γὰρ ἐν ποσὶ κακὰ κράτιστά ¹³⁷⁵ βράχιστα ¹³⁷⁶

mvp-comment-796-3 τἀν ποσίν ¹³⁷⁷

mvp-comment-797-1 μόρων ὁ κάλλιστ’ ἔχων ¹³⁷⁸

mvp-comment-797-2 Both these difficulties (which to me seem insuperable) are removed by reading

μόρων ὁ κάλλιστ’ ἔχων

, the best of fates. That

ἔχων

could have been changed to

ἐμῶν

, either by conjecture or by accident, is shown by v. 575, where at the end of the verse L has the probably true

ἐμοί

, while other MSS. have

ἔφυ

. (If

κύνες

is right in 467, and

ξίφει

in 1301, these, too, are instances of final words corrupted.) A question of punctuation remains. The comma might follow either

ἔχων

ἐμοί

. I prefer the latter. Cp. Ai. 394

ἰὼ σκότος, ἐμὸν φάος, | ἔρεβος ὦ φαεννότατον, ὡς ἐμοί

mvp-comment-798-1 ὕπατος ¹³⁷⁹

mvp-comment-799-1 μέλλοντα ¹³⁸⁰

mvp-comment-799-2 τῶν προκειμένων ¹³⁸¹

mvp-comment-799-3 For τι ¹³⁸²

mvp-comment-799-4 τῶνδ’ ¹³⁸³

mvp-comment-799-5 ὅτοισι χρὴ μέλειν ¹³⁸⁴

mvp-comment-800-1 ἐρῶ μέν ¹³⁸⁵

mvp-comment-800-2 συγκατηυξάμην ¹³⁸⁶ ἀλλ’ ὧν ἐρῶ, ταῦτα συγκατηυξάμην ¹³⁸⁷ ἐρῶ μὲν ¹³⁸⁸ ἐρῶμεν ¹³⁸⁹ ἐρῶ ¹³⁹⁰ μεν ¹³⁹¹

mvp-comment-801-1 προσεύχου ¹³⁹²

mvp-comment-802-1 ἄγοιτ’ ἄν ¹³⁹³

mvp-comment-802-2 μάταιον ¹³⁹⁴

mvp-comment-803-1 κατέκανον ¹³⁹⁵

mvp-comment-803-2 σέ τ’ αὖ τάνδ’ ¹³⁹⁶

mvp-comment-804-1 πρὸς πότερον … πάντα γάρ ¹³⁹⁷

mvp-comment-804-2 (1) The MS. ὅπᾳ ¹³⁹⁸ πᾷ ¹³⁹⁹

mvp-comment-804-3 (2) L has πάντα γάρ ¹⁴⁰⁰

mvp-comment-804-4 (3) κλιθῶ ¹⁴⁰¹ καὶ θῶ ¹⁴⁰²

mvp-comment-804-5 πρὸς πότερον ¹⁴⁰³

mvp-comment-804-6 ἴδω ¹⁴⁰⁴

mvp-comment-804-7 πᾷ κλιθῶ ¹⁴⁰⁵ πᾷ ¹⁴⁰⁶

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

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.

601. mvp-comment-351-1 κατ' was rightly restored by Triclinius for κατ' (ⅰ.e. καὶ εἶτα), which had been introduced to avoid the asvndeton. (Schol. ἐάν στίξωμεν κᾷτ᾽ αὖ νιν, οὐδὲν λείπει τῷ λόγῳ.)

602-603. mvp-comment-352-1 ἀμᾷ θερίζει καὶ ἐκκόπτει. ἢ καλύπτει, Schol. The latter is right.

602-603. mvp-comment-352-2 Ας καταμᾶσθαι κόνιν is ‘Το cover oneself with dust,' so, by a poetical inversion, the dust may be said καταμᾶν, To cover, or Sweep out of sight. Essay on Language § 42. р. 80, β.

603. mvp-comment-353-1 λόγου τ᾽ ἄνοια καὶ φρενῶν Ἐριvús The reasoning of Antigone in 450 ff. seems wild to the chorus, and her conduct shows her to them as possessed with a fatal frenzy. It may be thought strange that κόνις should be retained against a reading which has been so generally ap- proved as κόπις, first suggested by Jortin. But see Essay on Language pp. 92, 93. The grotesque image of Death, or Hades, armed with a bloody chopper or cleaver, however agreeable to the manner of Euripides, or some other poets, has no parallel in the language of Sophocles. And the transition from this concrete imagery to the spirits of fury and madness is, to say the least, awkwardly abrupt. The words λόγου τ᾽ ἄνοια καὶ φρενῶν Ἐρινύς are most natural if they are added to expand an obscure allusion to the deed which had brought Antigone into danger. And the words φοινία θεῶν τῶν νερτέρων .. κόνις, The deadly dust sacred to the gods below, convey such an allusion not more obscurely than do the words in Tr. 836 ff., δεινοτάτῳ μὲν ὕδρας προστετακὼς φάσματι, κ.τ.λ., express the condition of Heracles in the poisoned robe. Triclinius was therefore not absurd in saying εἰκότως δὲ τὸ κόνις τέθειται. διότι γὰρ ἐκάλυψεν Ἀντιγόνη ἀδελφὸν Πολυνείκην κόνει, διὰ τοῦτο τεθνήξεσθαι ἔμελλε.

604. mvp-comment-354-1 This is suggested by the position of Antigone, whose offence brings swift retribution; but is felt by the spectator to be more applicable to that of Creon.

604-605. mvp-comment-355-1 τίς .. κατάσχοι Essay on Language §36. p. 62. Ср. O. T. 937, and esp. Pind. Οl. 11. 20, 1, ἐμφυὲς οὔτ᾽ αἴθων ἀλώπηξ | οὐδ᾽ ἐρίβρομοι λέοντες διαλλάξαιντο ἦθος.

606. mvp-comment-356-1 Not slumber that brings age to all things.' Cp. Hom. Il. 14. 242, where Sleep says, ἄλλον μέν κεν ἔγωγε θεῶν αἰειγενετάων | ῥεῖα κατευνήσαιμι, καὶ ἂν ποταμοῖο ῥέεθρα | Ὠκεανοῦ, ὅσπερ γένεσις πάντεσσι τέτυκται | Ζηνὸς δ' οὐκ ἂν ἔγωγε Κρονίονος ἆσσον ἱκοίμην, οὐδὲ κατευνήσαιμ᾽, ὅτε μὴ αὐτός γε κελεύοι. For αἱρεῖ, cp. Il. 24.5, οὐδέ μιν ὕπνος ἥρει πανδαμάτωρ: Od. 9. 372, κὰδ δέ μιν ὕπνος ἥρει πανδαμάτωρ. The conjecture of Bamberger, παντοθήρας, is plausible. But for the closeness of the association between Age and Sleep, cp. O. T. 870-871, οὐδὲ λάθα κατακοιμάσει .. οὐδὲ γηράσκει.

607-608. mvp-comment-357-1 The reading adopted involves the simplest change which avoids a breach of metrical rules. Others suppose, the loss of a syllable after θεῶν, reading ἄκοποι for ἀκάματοι, with ἕρπει in the fourth line of the antistrophe. For θεῶν added as a sort of epithet = Divine, cp. supra 454, 369: Ο. Τ. 647 : Αj. 711, θεῶν.. πάνθυτα θέσμια : Phil. 198: also Tr. 1191, Ζηνός. The indefiniteness of this use obviates the objection of Schneidewin, that the months of the Gods are opposed to Zeus, who is generally the orderer of time, as in Hom. Il. 2. 134, Διὸς μεγάλου ἐνιαυτοί. There is possibly, however, in θεῶν some allusion to the heavenly bodies, who, as Plato says, are the ὄργανα χρόνου.

608. mvp-comment-358-1 ἀγήρῳ δὲ χρόνῳ δυνάστας With power whose duration is untouched by age. For the personification of χρόνος, see Essay on Language pp. 81, 82. The reading ἀγήρως seems to be of some antiquity, and is embodied in one of the Scholia.

610. mvp-comment-359-1 αἴγλαν Cp. Hom. Il. 1. 532, ἀπ᾿ αἰγλήεντος Ὀλύμπου. The conception of Olympus is here more Homeric than elsewhere in Sophocles. See on O. T. 867, О. С. 1655.

611-612. mvp-comment-360-1 τό τ᾽ ἔπειτα καὶ τὸ μέλλον καὶ τὸ πρίν] Cp. Thuc. 2. 64, § 8.

613. mvp-comment-361-1 The reading οὐδὲν *ἕρπων is to some extent confirmed by the Scholium ση πάμπολις, ὁ κατὰ πᾶσαν πόλιν ἕρπων νόμος, and is the most probable of the emendations of this passage. It has been supposed that οὐδὲν ἔρπει, and also ἐκτὸς ἄτας, have crept in from below; but this stasimon is peculiarly full of verbal echoes. See Essay on Language § 44. p. 76. This principle' (the sovereignty of Zeus) will last the coming time, and the time to come, as well as the time past, never swerving, as it moves onwards, from calamity to the life of mortals in all their cities. Lit. Coming to the life of mortals (a law of every city) in no respect out of the way of calamity. οὐδέν, adverbial.

613. mvp-comment-361-2 βιότῳ, dat. of reference (Essay on Language § 12. p. 18). πάμπολις, universal, i.e. law not of any one state, but embracing all. For ἕρπων ἐκτὸς ἅτας θνατῶν βιότῳ, cp. infra l. 1318: ἐμᾶς.. ἐξ αἰτίας (= ἐκτὸς αἰτίας ἐμοί): Ο. C. 1575, ἐν καθαρῷ βῆναι .. τῷ ξένῳ: Essay on Language § 42. p. 79.

615. mvp-comment-362-1 πολύπλαγκτος There is no clear instance of an active use of πολύπλαγκτος, for in Hom. Il. 13. 308, έξ ἀνέμοιο πολυπλάγκτοιο ἰωῆς, The fartravelled wind, is a probable enough meaning. Cp. Shakespeare's Empty, vast, and wandering air. So here Widely roving' is better than Muchdeceiving.' Cp. infr. 785-786.

617. mvp-comment-363-1 ἀπάτα . . ἐρώτων ἐρώτων is not genitive of object, but of cause: not Disappointment of desire, but De ception through desire. To many, hope is but the deceitfulness of winged desire.

618. mvp-comment-364-1 εἰδότι δ᾽ οὐδὲν ἕρπει And it comes to him all at unaware, i. e. The event or calamity comes. For the vague subject, cp. supra 597, οὐδ᾽ ἔχει λύσιν, and note. This is better than Nothing befals him while he is aware. 619. Till his foot be scorched in the hot blaze.' For the insertion of τις in the second clause, cp. Aj. 964, τἀγαθὸν χεροῖν | ἔχοντες οὐκ ἴσασι πρίν τις ἐκ βάλῃ : Τr. 2, 3, ὡς οὐκ ἂν αἰῶν᾽ ἐκμάθοις βροτῶν, πρὶν ἂν θάνῃ τις. Seidler's conj. προσαύρῃ is less good than the reading of L.

620. mvp-comment-365-1 σοφίᾳ Dative of manner. Essay on Language § 14. p. 20, 2.

625. mvp-comment-366-1 πράσσει, SC. ὁ τοιοῦτος, supr. l. 619, τις, l. 623 , τῷδ'. Cp. Aesch. ap. Plat. Rep. 2, p. 380 Α, θεὸς μὲν αἰτίαν φύει βροτοῖς | ὅταν κακῶσαι δῶμα παμπήδην θέλει.

625. mvp-comment-366-2 ὀλιγοστόν ὀλίγιστον has been read, and is possibly the Ist hand of L; see v. rr. But ὀλιγοστός χρόνος may mean a time that is one of few, i. e. one that comes rarely or seldom. πολλοστός in Legg. 10. 896 B, is not small, but many times removed, and has the force of a superlative, as it has also in Phileb. 44 E, where it means minutest.

626-627. mvp-comment-367-1 See Essay on Language § 40. p. 75.

628. mvp-comment-368-1 νύμφης had probably been written over μελλογάμου or τάλιδος as a gloss. The words τῆς μελλογάμου νύμφης are omitted in VM¹. This whole expression may have been a gloss on τάλιδος, or on τῆς μελλονύμφου φου infr. 633.

629. mvp-comment-369-1 μόρον Ε. on L. § 16. p. 23.

630. mvp-comment-370-1 ἀπάτας (1) Gen. of cause; or (2) with ὑπερ. Cp. Eur. Hipp. 260.

631. mvp-comment-371-1 μαντέων ὑπέρτερον Better than a seer could tell us. Creon thus vents his impatience at the anticipation of the chorus, and also indicates his scorn of prophecy. Cp. infr. 1034 ff.

632. mvp-comment-372-1 τελείαν ψήφον The fixed, irreversible, decree. Creon means by his first words to exclude hope.

632. mvp-comment-372-2 ἆρα μή Can it be that.., expressing doubt mingled with surprise.

633. mvp-comment-373-1 τῆς μελλονύμφου Objective genitive. Essay on Language § 9. p. 12.

633. mvp-comment-373-2 λυσσαίνων · Madly raging; as if opposition to a father could only be accounted for by madness. The word is ἅπαξ λεγόμενον, and is for this reason preferable to the weaker θυμαίνων.

634. mvp-comment-374-1 σοὶ μέν i.e. Whatever we may be to others.

635-765. mvp-comment-375-1 Haemon professes obedience to his father, but with the implied condition that his father commands what is right. Not heeding this, Creon welcomes his general profession, and enlarges on the blessings that follow from obedience in public and private. He urges Haemon to renounce Antigone. Haemon replies by repeating the praise of her which he has heard in the city (Ar. Rhet. 3. 17, ἕτερον χρὴ λέγοντα ποιεῖν.. ὡς Σοφοκλῆς τὸν Αἴμονα ὑπὲρ τῆς Ἀντιγόνης πρὸς τὸν πατέρα, ὡς λεγόντων ἑτέρων), and begs his father not to be deaf to all opinions but his own. Creon is impatient at this, and, after an altercation, in which both speakers become exasperated, Creon orders Antigone to be brought for immediate execution, and Haemon breaks away in sullen anger. This episode interposes a necessary pause between the condemnation of Antigone and its results, i. e, between the two chief crises of the action, and assists the main impression by bringing the light of natural affection and common opinion to bear on the situation.

635-636. mvp-comment-376-1 σύ μοι γνώμας ἔχων | χρηστὰς ἀπορθοῖς Sc. ἐμέ. You, having good advice for me, direct me. μοι is in construction with the nearer word.

637. mvp-comment-377-1 No marriage can, if I think rightly, be a more valued prize to me. ἀξίως ἔσται has been changed to ἀξιώσεται. But ἀξιοῦσθαι μείζων φέρεσθαι, To be deemed of more importance to obtain, is an awkward and unauthorized expression and, for the position and emphatic use of the adverb, which is the only difficulty, see Essay on Language § 24. pp. 37, 38, and cp. the adverbial use of ἄξιος in El. 1260 ff., τίς .. ἀξίαν μεταβάλοιτ᾽ ἂν .. σιγὰν λόγων ;

638. mvp-comment-378-1 For μείζων, = τιμιώτερος, cp. Ο. Τ. 776, ἀστῶν μέγιστος τῶν ἐκεῖ.

638. mvp-comment-378-2 φέρεσθαι is in the middle voice.

638. mvp-comment-378-3 σοῦ καλῶς ἡγουμένου Than you and your good guidance. The condition is assumed to be inseparable from the subject, as in Plat. Rep. 1. 335 A, τὸν μὲν φίλον ἀγαθὸν ὄντα εὖ ποιεῖν, τὸν δὲ ἐχθρὸν κακὸν ὄντα βλάπτειν.

639. mvp-comment-379-1 οὕτω .. διὰ στέρνων ἔχειν Το be thoroughly imbued with this.

640. mvp-comment-380-1 'In all things to follow your father's judgment.' The image is that of taking up a position behind a leader: i. e. Not to break rank, but to follow in good order. Cp. Plat. Protag. 315 B, (the disciples of Protagoras) εὖ πως καὶ ἐν κόσμῳ . . ἀεὶ εἰς τὸ ὄπισθεν καθίσταντο κάλλιστα.

643. mvp-comment-381-1 τὸν ἐχθρόν 'Their father's enemy.'

646. mvp-comment-382-1 τί .. ἄλλο is governed by the general verbal notion, without distinctly anticipating φῦσαι.

648. mvp-comment-383-1 τὰς φρένας γ᾽ ὑφ᾽ ἡδονῆς The reading of Vat. is retained, not as clearly right, but as more probable than later corrections. γε may be supposed to give a strong emphasis to φρένας. Do not lose your wits, whatever you do. And this is rather confirmed by the way in which Haemon echoes the word in l. 683.

650-651. mvp-comment-384-1 ψυχρὸν παραγκάλισμα . . ἐν δόμοις 'Small comfort comes of such a union, of having a bad wife to share one's couch at home.'

653. mvp-comment-385-1 πτύσας Rejecting with abhorrence. Here and in l. 1232, πτύειν seems to imply a gesture of dislike or loathing, directed towards a person or thing. Cp. Aesch. Ag. 1192, ἐν μέρει δ' ἀπέπτυσαν | εὐνὰς ἀδελφοῦ.

653. mvp-comment-385-2 ὡσεί τε Αn Epic or Ionic form. See Introd. p. 456.

654. mvp-comment-386-1 The construction is rather μέθες τήνδε τινὶ νυμφεύειν, Leave her for some one to wed, than μέθες τήνδε νυμφεύειν τινί, Leave her to wed some one.

657. mvp-comment-387-1 ψευδή .. πόλει I certainly will not break my word to the state.

658. mvp-comment-388-1 ἀλλὰ κτενῶ The abruptness of the pause helps the incisiveness of Creon's language.

659-660. mvp-comment-389-1 εἰ γὰρ .. γένους For if I fail to bring up orderly those born akin to me, most surely I shall fail with those remote. Creon turns Antigone's nearness of kindred to him into a reason for severity. If he cannot control his kinswoman, how much less can he control the state! Authority begins at home.

659. mvp-comment-390-1 For ἐγγενή φύσει, see Essay on Language § 40. p. 69, and p. 82, B.

661. mvp-comment-391-1 τοῖς .. οἰκείοισιν Neuter. Creon characteristically relies on commonplace maxims.

663. mvp-comment-392-1 The transgressor who either violates the laws. The alternative is thought of after the sentence is begun. νόμους is in two constructions, (1) with ὑπερβάς, (2) with βιάζεται.

664. mvp-comment-393-1 τοὐπιτάσσειν Cp. supr. 485, and note.

664. mvp-comment-393-2 τοῖς κρατύνουσιν νοεῖ The reading of L here is rather more uncommon than the alternative reading, which may notwithstanding be right.

666. mvp-comment-394-1 For the optative, in a perfectly general supposition, see Essay on Language §36. p. 61.

666. mvp-comment-394-2 κλύειν Το obey.

667. mvp-comment-395-1 τἀναντία τὰ μεγαλὰ καὶ ἄδικα.

668-671. mvp-comment-396-1 And of this man (the man who obeys the ruler) I would have no fear but that he would rule nobly, and be a good and willing subject, and if posted near me in the storm of battle, would stand firmly as a staunch and trusty comrade. For the vague reference of the pronoun, see Essay on Language § 22. p. 34. And for δορός .. χειμῶνι, ib.

673. mvp-comment-397-1 αὕτη .. τίθησιν The anacoluthon (for which see Essay on Language p. 65) has been avoided in two ways, (1) by omission of τε, (2) by reading ἠδ' for ἥδ'. This Homericism is defended by comparing ὥσει τε in l. 653. There is slight MS. authority for both these changes (see v. rr.). But strong reasons are required for the introduction of a particle not used elsewhere by Sophocles, and after the regularly balanced τε.. ἠδέ, the asyndeton in the next line would be too abrupt. If any change were necessary, the omission of τ' would be preferable, but the lines are more expressive as they are.

674. mvp-comment-398-1 σὺν μάχῃ δορός Bothe conjectured συμμάχου δορός, The rout of the leagued war. But the reading of the MS. has a more vivid meaning. This, aiding the conflict of the spear, breaks down (the vanquished) into shapeless rout: i. e. Disorder helps with battle to make utter rout. For μάχῃ δορός, see Essay on Language p. 75, and for the accusative τροπάς, ib. § 17. p. 25, etc.

675. mvp-comment-399-1 τῶν δ᾽ ὀρθουμένων Of those who are not routed, but are successful. Opposed to οἱ ἡσσώμενοι implied in τροπάς. Cp. El. 742, ὠρθοῦθ' ὁ τλήμων ὀρθὸς ἐξ ὀρθῶν δίφρων.

677. mvp-comment-400-1 οὕτως.. κοσμουμένοις 'Thus one ought to support one's own decrees.' Thus, viz. as I am doing. For this use of the passive participle, see Essay on Language § 17. p. 25, с. Some would explain the words as masculine, One must defend the cause of the orderly subject. Cp. Thuc. 8. 24, ἐκοσμοῦντο ἐχυρώτερον. But such an immediate application of the γνώμη is less in character than the arbitrary assertion of authority. Cp. Hdt. 1. 100, τὰ δὲ δὴ ἄλλα ἐκεκοσμέατό οἱ.

681. mvp-comment-401-1 The form κεκλίμεθα (supposed from κλίνω) was supported by the authority of Thomas Magister.

683. mvp-comment-402-1 θεοὶ.. ὑπέρτατον Wisdom, whose value is above all possessions in the world, is the Gods gift.' Haemon begins by echoing his father's thought, supr. 648, that sound sense is to be prized most highly, but gently hints that Heaven only knows on which side the true wisdom lies. The reading χρημάτων requires ὑπέρτερον, as in L2.

686. mvp-comment-403-1 μήτ᾽ ἐπισταίμην λέγειν i. e. And may I never bring myself to say it. Cp. Trach. 543. 4, θυμοῦσθαι μὲν οὐκ ἐπίσταμαι | νοσοῦντι κείνῳ πολλά.

687. mvp-comment-404-1 χἀτέρῳ Schol. δυνατὸν δὲ καὶ ἑτέρως καλῶς μεταβουλεύσασθαι. Hence Erfurdt and others conjectured χἀτέρως, χατέρα, χἄτερον. Hermann, retaining χἀτέρῳ, interprets, Another also may have wisdom as well as you: i.e. καλῶς ἔχον, sc. τὸ τῶν φρενῶν. But the context rather suggests καλῶς ἔχον, sc. τὸ λέγειν σὲ μὴ ὀρθῶς λέγειν. 'That you are wrong in what you now say I have no power, and may I never have the skill, to affirm. But it may be that from another's mouth such an assertion were not ungracious.' καί in this case belongs to the whole sentence. See Essay on Language § 25. p. 43. 4.

688. mvp-comment-405-1 σοῦ δ᾽ οὖν πέφυκα is decidedly better than σὺ δ᾽ οὐ πέφυκας, which seems to have been suggested by τὸ γὰρ σὸν ὄμμα δεινόν, κ.τ.λ., in what follows. The true connection is, It is not for me to say that you are wrong, though another might do so. However, as your son, it naturally belongs to me to consider in your interest what men do, or say, or find fault with. For the common citizen does not speak his mind in your presence, but I may freely hear. Haemon winds about his father with all this circumstance before pleading for Antigone under shelter of the common opinion, which he professes to quote in the interest of Creon. The tact shown in this is noticed by Aristotle (Rhet. 3. 17) and by the Scholiast. The reading of A, V pr., V³, σοὶ δ' οὖν πέφυκα, deserves consideration.

690-691. mvp-comment-406-1 τὸ γὰρ .. κλύων For your eye overawes the subject in conversation which will displease you to hear. λόγοις τοιούτοις is dative of the occasion or reason, assisted by the attraction of οἷς. Essay on Language § 14. p. 20.

690-691. mvp-comment-406-2 τὸ γὰρ σόν The order puts an emphasis on σόν, as in O. Τ. 671, τὸ γὰρ σόν, οὐ τὸ τοῦδ᾽ ἐποικτείρω στόμα.

692. mvp-comment-407-1 ἐμοὶ δ᾽.. τάδε But I may hear all this under shadow (out of the light of your eye). The words ὑπὸ σκότου might equally have been connected with the following line. I hear in secret what is spoken in secret.

694. mvp-comment-408-1 ἀναξιωτάτη Sc. τοιαῦτα παθεῖν.

695. mvp-comment-409-1 ἀπ᾿ ἔργων See Essay on Language § 19. p. 28.

697. mvp-comment-410-1 πεπτῶτ᾽ ἄθαπτον i. e. πεπτώτα καὶ ἄθαπτον ὄντα.

697. mvp-comment-410-2 μήθ'.. μήθ' μή, not oὔ, because ἥτις, κ.τ.λ. = εἰ αὕτη, κ.τ.λ.

700. mvp-comment-411-1 ἐρεμνή Dark, i.e. Fraught with hidden danger. (Cp. ὑπὸ σκότου, supra). The word is used with something of the association of awe and dread attaching to night and darkness. Cp. Hom. Il. 1. 47. ὁ δ᾽ ἤτε νυκτὶ ἐοικώς.

701. mvp-comment-412-1 σοῦ πράσσοντος εὐτυχῶς Cp. supra 638, σοῦ καλῶς ἡγουμένου.

703. mvp-comment-413-1 πατρὸς θάλλοντος εὐκλείας The good renown of a prosperous sire. Haemon thus gently hints his fear of the effect of the sentence on Creon's reputation in the city.

704. mvp-comment-414-1 ἄγαλμα A cause of glorying or delight. Cp. infra 1115, Καδμείας νύμφας ἄγαλμα.

704. mvp-comment-414-2 ἢ τί πρὸς παίδων πατρί ; Or what greater ornament (than their own good fame) can children confer upon their father?

705-706. mvp-comment-415-1 Do not, I beseech you, wear one unchanging temper in your breast, and hold that nothing else is right but as you say. τοῦτο is added because of the imperfect correlation of the clauses. See Essay on Language p. 75.

707-709. mvp-comment-416-1 For ὅστις .. οὗτοι, ib. § 20. p. 31.

707-709. mvp-comment-416-2 For the formal distinction of φρονεῖν, γλῶσσαν, ψυχήν, cp. supra 176, ψυχήν τε καὶ φρόνημα καὶ γνώμην, and see Essay on Language pp. 92, 3.

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

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

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

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

713-714. mvp-comment-419-1 Note the antithesis of κλῶνας .. αὐτόπρεμνα. The one save even their branches, the others are destroyed root and branch. For the image, cp. Webster's Appius and Virginia, p. 203. (iii. 3), The bending willow, yielding to each wind, | Shall keep his footing firm, when the proud oak, | Braving the storm, presuming on his root, | Shall have his body rent from head to foot.

715. mvp-comment-420-1 ναὸς .. ἐγκρατῆ πόδα The sheet which has power over the vessel. This is a more poetical and rhythmical expression than the other reading, ναὸς εἴ τις ἐγκρατής, πόδα | τείνας, ὑπείκει μηδέν.

716-717. mvp-comment-421-1 ὑπτίοις.. ναυτίλλεται Upsetting, makes the rest of his voyage with benches overturned. Join κάτω στρέψας. τὸ λοιπόν as in ll. 310, foll., where there is a similar contradictory expression. The omission of the accusative after στρέψας is natural in speaking of so familiar an occurrence as the over-setting of a boat. Essay on Language pp. 73, 98. τὸ πλοῖον, which Hermann reads for τὸ λοιπόν, is hardly a correct synonym for ναῦν or σκάφος.

718. mvp-comment-422-1 ἀλλ᾽.. δίδου Nay, yield. Be not wholly irremovable in anger. Lit. Afford also a removal from anger. This seems to be the best arrangement of this difficult line; i. e. εἰ θυμὸν ἔχεις, ἀλλὰ πεισθῆτι καὶ μεθίστασθαι τοῦ θυμοῦ. The asyndeton is expressive (Essay on Language § 34. P. 58). The reading of LA, ἀλλ᾽ εἶκε θυμῷ, is perhaps due to a false reminiscence of Il. 9.598, εἴξας ᾧ θυμῷ. Seyffert reads θυμῷ .. διδούς.

719-720. mvp-comment-423-1 γνώμη .. πρόσεστι For if any judgment proceed from me (ἀπ᾽ ἐμοῦ) though younger in years. Cp. Τr. 52, 3, εἰ δίκαιον τοὺς ἐλευθέρους φρενοῦν | γνώμαισι δούλοις; ib. 61, κἀξ ἀγεννήτων ἄρα | μύθοι καλῶς πίπτουσιν.

720-722. mvp-comment-424-1 The real stress is on the last line. The paratactic form of sentence is retained, the sense being, However excellent a thing perfect knowledge is, yet, since it is rare, it is well to take good advice.

720-722. mvp-comment-424-2 πρεσβεύειν] The active of this verb is rare in the metaphorical sense.

720-722. mvp-comment-424-3 πάντ᾽ ἐπιστήμης Of knowledge in all things. Essay on Language § 17. p. 24, b.

720-722. mvp-comment-424-4 εἰ δ᾽ οὖν Sc. μή, which is to be assumed from the next clause, where μή has a strong emphasis. For the sentiment, Hermann compares Hesiod, Op. 293, ἐσθλὸς δ᾽ αὖ κἀκεῖνος, ὃς εὖ εἰπόντι πίθηται.

725. mvp-comment-425-1 διπλᾶ is better than διπλῇ, because dwelling merely on the two speeches, and not on their divergence from each other.

726-727. mvp-comment-426-1 And at our age shall we forsooth be schooled by one so juvenile? For the inverted order, see Essay on Language § 26. p. 44: § 41. p. 77.

727. mvp-comment-427-1 For φύσιν, see Essay on Language p. 96.

728. mvp-comment-428-1 μηδὲν τὸ μὴ δίκαιον The combination of the indefinite μηδέν with the definite article is curious, and suggests the idea that μηδέν is adverbial.. But the Scholiast is probably right in explaining the words as equivalent to μηδὲν διδάσκου ὁ μὴ δίκαιόν ἐστί σοι μανθάνειν. Cp. supra 360, οὐδὲν .. τὸ μέλλον. Essay on Language § 22. p. 36. And for emphatic el, ib. § 28. p. 47, supr. 551.

729. mvp-comment-429-1 You ought not to regard differences of time, but rather to face the actual requirements of the case.' τἄργα are not the merits of Haemon, but the truth of his plea.

730. mvp-comment-430-1 What? Is it a "requirement" to fall down and worship rebels? Creon, as usual, represents mercy as submission. ἔργον ἐστί seems to have the same meaning as in σὸν ἔργον, and the like phrases; i.e. ἔργον almost = Duty.

731. mvp-comment-431-1 Nay, I would not bid thee reverence the wicked.

732. mvp-comment-432-1 'Why, is not she possessed by this disease?" viz. τῇ κακίᾳ.

733. mvp-comment-433-1 Not so declare her fellow-citizens in this town of Thebes.

736. mvp-comment-434-1 Is it right, I say, for another than me to rule this land? The reading of L and most MSS, ἄλλῳ.. μοί, (cp. Eur. Ion 1317) is supported by Thom. M. s. v. χρή, and is certainly the durior lectio. But he may have reasoned from a faulty text. See note on l. 681. γε is expressive. For M4 see list of MSS. in the Preface to this edition.

737. mvp-comment-435-1 Cp. Aesch. Suppl. 370, σύ τοι πόλις, σὺ τὸ δήμιον; Shakespeare, Julius Caesar, 1. 2,

When could they say, till now, that talked of Rome, | That her wide walls encompassed but one man? | Now is it Rome indeed, and room enough, | When there is in it but one only man.

The genitive ἀνδρὸς .. ἑνός is ambiguous between possessive genitive and genitive of content. A city belonging to one man, and A city composed of one man.

738. mvp-comment-436-1 Is not the city counted a possession of the ruler? Essay on Language § 9. p. 12, b.

739. mvp-comment-437-1 A splendid monarch would you make to rule a desert land.

742. mvp-comment-438-1 This line is sometimes printed with a note of interrogation, as if the words διὰ δίκης ἰὼν πατρί were epexegetic of σοῦ.. προκήδομαι. ('Villain, when you are wrangling with your father?') But the connection of the lines in this στιχομυθία is not very close, and the more obvious meaning (Villain, to wrangle with your father!') is more probable.

743-745. mvp-comment-439-1 οὐ γὰρ δίκαια .. οὐ γὰρ σέβεις] Here, as in 730, ἔργον γάρ ἐστι, there is the same tendency to play on the word (κομψεύειν) that was observed in the speeches of the Φύλαξ.

745. mvp-comment-440-1 οὐ.. σέβεις It is not reverence when you trample on the honours of the Gods. Essay on Language § 53. p. 98, с.

751. mvp-comment-441-1 τινά i. e. σέ. Essay on Language § 22. p. 34, 4. Interpreters have avoided taking these words in their obvious meaning as implying a threat, which Haemon all but carries into execution afterwards in ll. 1233-1234. It is true, however, that this intention is less distinctly present to his mind than the conviction that vengeance will come to Creon from the gods and from popular feeling.

752. mvp-comment-442-1 κἀπαπειλών For the participle, see Essay on Language § 36. p. 63, €, b.

753. mvp-comment-443-1 τίς Almost = πῶς. Cp. О. С. 775, τίς αὕτη τέρψις;

756. mvp-comment-444-1 'Woman's minion that you are, mince not your words with me.' The subdued tone of Haemon (εἰ μὴ πατὴρ ἦσθ', εἶπον ἄν) only adds fuel to the wrath of Creon.

756. mvp-comment-444-2 For the contempt expressed in δούλευμα and μῖσος (760), see Essay on Language pp. 84, 85.

758. mvp-comment-445-1 άληθες See on O. T. 350.

759. mvp-comment-446-1 ἐπὶ ψόγοισι δεννάσεις Reproach and revile me. For the prepositional phrase, cp. El. 108, ἐπὶ κωκυτῷ, and see Essay on Language § 18. p. 27.

765. mvp-comment-447-1 So that you may exhibit your madness to those of your friends who can brook it. θέλουσι, sc. σοὶ μαινομένῳ ξυνεῖναι. There is a strong emphasis on this participle.

767. mvp-comment-448-1 And at his age the spirit, when chafed, is dangerous. Cp. O. C. 751, τηλικοῦτος, οὐ γάμων | ἔμπειρος ..: and for voûs, see Essay on Language p. 93.

768. mvp-comment-449-1 Cp. O. T. 1075, where Oedipus, with similar unconsciousness, says of Jocasta, who has just rushed out, ὁποῖα χρήζει ῥηγνύτω.

770. mvp-comment-450-1 The order of words shows that the chief emphasis is on ἄμφω : Essay on Language § 41. p. 77. Hence καί is to be taken with the whole sentence: ib. § 25. P. 43, 4. Do you really intend to put them both to death?

773. mvp-comment-451-1 ἔρημος.. στίβος Where track of human footstep there is none. The privative ἔρημος is used for the negative by a redundancy like those adduced in Essay on Language § 40. p. 75; and ἔρημος = ἄστειπτος (Phil. 2), so that the expression = Where no track of mortals has been trodden.

775. mvp-comment-452-1 i. e. τοσοῦτον μόνον, ὅσον ἄγος εἶναι. Essay on Language § 39. p. 74. For ἄγος = expiation, see Hesych., ἄγος· ἅγνισμα θυσίας, Σοφοκλῆς Φαίδρα.

776. mvp-comment-453-1 i. e. Lest the whole city might suffer pollution.

780. mvp-comment-454-1 περισσός Bootless. Cp. Aesch. Prom. 383, μόχθον περισσόν. It is characteristic of the time (cp. Thucydides) that the political energy of Creon is combined with scepticism.

781-800. mvp-comment-455-1 Haemon's disobedience to his father, against his own interest, is due to the might of love.

781-800. mvp-comment-455-2 'Never-vanquished love, that layest riches waste, keeping nightly watch in the fair, soft, youthful cheek: love that roamest over seas and findest out the wildest nook! No god, nor any mortal man, escapes thy maddening power. By love the upright mind is drawn to wrong unto its hurt. By love this present strife is kindled between kinsmen. And clearly triumphant is the influence of desire that cometh from the looks of the fair bride - desire that divides empire with the majestic law: so resistlessly doth goddess Aphrodite mock mankind.

781-800. mvp-comment-455-3 This little ode consists of a strophe and antistrophe, of which the scansion is as follows:- CCLトしてし CICCICII CCCICII IICIICCIト(CLトー 5-0-0-ICCICI-

781-800. mvp-comment-455-4 A glyconic quatrain is followed by two choriambic lines, and the strophe ends with a return to the glyconic rhythm. L. 7 admits of being otherwise divided, viz.: CCLCー.

781. mvp-comment-456-1 ἀνίκατε μάχαν Cp. the similar personification of θυμός by Heraclitus, χαλεπὸν θυμῷ μάχεσθαι, ψυχῆς γὰρ ὠνέεται.

782. mvp-comment-457-1 ὃς ἐν κτήμασι πίπτεις (i. e.

782. mvp-comment-457-2 ἐμπίπτεις κτήμασι.) These words have been variously interpreted and emended. They probably mean, Who fallest upon wealth, i. e. art the destroyer of possessions, ruining worldly fortunes in various ways, as the love of Helen wasted Troy, etc. Cp. Eur. Hipp. 538, foll., Ἔρωτα δὲ τὸν τύραννον ἀνδρῶν |.. πέρθοντα καὶ διὰ πάσας | ἰόντα συμφορὰς | θνατοῖς, ὅταν ἔλθῃ. So, in this instance, Haemon is losing all for love. Others interpret, Desire who makest wealth thy object (Schol. rec.), Love, who by attacking enslavest, or Who makest victims of the wealthy.

783-784. mvp-comment-458-1 ὃς .. ἐννυχεύεις Cp. Milton, L'Allegro, 29, 30, 'Such as hang on Hebe's cheek, | And love to live in dimple sleek.' Love is still figured as an enemy, who keeps nightly watch where he is ready to spring forth armed on the unwary. Pind. Nem. 8. 2, ὥρα .. παρθενηΐοις .. ἐφίζοισι γλεφάροις.

785. mvp-comment-459-1 The poet is thinking of legendary examples, such as Paris, Leander, Anchises, etc.

786. mvp-comment-460-1 σε .. φύξιμος i.e. δύναταί σε φεύγειν. Cp. Hom. h. Ven. 34. 5, τῶν δ' ἄλλων οὐ πέρ τι πεφυγμένον ἔστ᾽ Ἀφροδίτην, | οὔτε θεῶν μακάρων, οὔτε θνητῶν ἀνθρώπων. But see on 796 ff.

790. mvp-comment-461-1 ἁμερίων ἐπ᾿ ἀνθρώπων The insertion of the preposition, although omitted with θεῶν, is no objection to this reading. See Essay on Language § 19. p. 27: and for ἐπί, with the genitive, meaning In the case of, So far as extends to, cp. Plato, Rep. 3. 406 C, 8.. ἐπὶ .. τῶν δημιουργῶν αἰσθανόμεθα, alib. The force of the preposition and case here is nearer to the original locative sense, = Extending over, 'Quantum hominum genus propagatum extenditur. (Ellendt.)

790. mvp-comment-461-2 ὁ ἔχων Sc. τὸ νόσημα. Wecklein compares ἔχει, he is wounded, with reference to the arrow of love. But this is fanciful.

791-792. mvp-comment-462-1 ἀδίκους.. παρασπᾷς i. e. εἰς ἀδικίαν παρασπᾷς. Drawest awry to wrong. For this proleptic use of the adjective, see Essay on Language § 23. P. 39; § 38. p. 71.

792. mvp-comment-463-1 ἐπὶ λώβᾳ ‘Το their hurt or disgrace.'

794. mvp-comment-464-1 ξύναιμον is an emphatic epithet added by an afterthought (Essay on Language § 23. p. 38) and by hypallage made to agree with the principal word, although more properly belonging to ἀνδρῶν. (Ibid. § 42. p. 80).

795. mvp-comment-465-1 νικᾷ δ᾽ ἐναργής i. e. ἐναργής ἐστι νικῶσα.

795. mvp-comment-465-2 βλεφάρων ἵμερος The modern poet speaks of love as engendered in the eyes, with gazing fed: the ancients rather spoke of an influence passing from the eye of the beloved (τὸ ἐρωτικὸν ὄμμα, Plat. Phaedr. 253 E) to the soul of the lover. Desire was viewed as an emanation from the object. Hence Plato's account of ἵμερος, Phaedr. 251 Β, C, δεξάμενος γὰρ τοῦ κάλλους τὴν ἀπορροὴν διὰ τῶν ὀμμάτων, ἐθερμάνθη ἢ ἡ τοῦ πτεροῦ φύσις ἄρδεται .. ὅταν μὲν οὖν βλέπουσα πρὸς τὸ κάλλος, ἐκεῖθεν μέρη ἐπιόντα καὶ ῥέοντα, ἃ δὴ διὰ τοῦτο ἵμερος καλεῖται, δεχομένη ἄρδηταί τε καὶ θερμαίνηται, λωφᾷ τε τῆς ὀδύνης καὶ γέγηθεν. This ancient conception, which had a root in language as well as in philosophy, is reflected even in Milton, L'Allegro, 1. 121, With store of ladies, whose bright eyes | Rain influence, though in this case probably with a further allusion to astrology.

796-799. mvp-comment-466-1 τῶν .. θεσμῶν In the counsels of princes holding an equal place with the majesty of law. This seems the best way of taking these words, which have been variously interpreted; e.g. Equal to the laws in power. 'Assessor in the authority of the laws, etc. There is an allusion to Haemon, who, though a prince, has been led to disobey his father, and to disregard the edict of the king. Cp. Hdt. 4. 165, ἐν βουλῇ παρίζουσα. The resolution of the arsis in πάρεδρος is extremely unusual; see Christ's Metrik, § 178; and Arndt suggested ξύνθρονος ἀρχαῖς, 'Assessor with the rule of majesticlaw. But qy. πάρεδρος *ἀρχαῖς, with "πέφευγεν οὐδείς in 786 ff.? (IILUCCICII).

800. mvp-comment-467-1 Wecklein finds here an oxymoron, turning on the opposition of μάχη and παιδιά. She is resistless, though sport is her only weapon. But this is doubtful.

804. mvp-comment-468-1 παγκοίταν.. θάλαμον The chamber where all must lie. The implied contrast between the fate of Antigone and her intended bridal recurs repeatedly throughout the latter part of the play. Supr. 575, Ἅιδης ὁ παύσων τούσδε τοὺς γάμους γάμ ἔφυ: infr. 891, νυμφεῖον : 1205, νυμφεῖον" Αιδου κοίλον.

806-802. mvp-comment-469-1 Antigone bewails her untimely death, and the chorus attempt to console her by pointing to the singularity of her end. She quotes the example of Niobe, who was encrusted with rock. But Niobe, rejoin the chorus, was a Divine Being. Then the maiden bursts into a cry against such vain comfort, and appeals to the forms of nature around Thebes to bear witness to the strangeness of her fate. The tone of the chorus changes to admonition. Thou hast offended against the majesty of law. Some curse, inherited from thy sire, must have led thee on. At last they have touched her, but it is only to aggravate her sorrow. Dire indeed had been the curse upon her parents; and now she is going to be with them, having never tasted any joy. Her brother's seeming success in marriage had been death to him and to her. The chorus reiterate that piety towards her brother should have yielded to authority. Selfwill has been thy ruin. Antigone: 'Friendless, unmourned, uncomforted, I leave the holy light of day. I die unmarried, and no one weeps for me.'

806-802. mvp-comment-469-2 The metres in this commos, ll. 806-833, chiefly logaoedic. and for the most part glyconic, are as follows:- α΄. 806-816, 823-833. 805 luclu IIC1CCI II1CCIC ―トしかしCICLL Anapaests of cho. 817-822, 834-837- β'. Second strophe and antistrophe. 51IC (トートートートー ICCICII にかくCIトトに CICLC- トトロー CCLCICIC 15010し! 이기 5- ἐπ. } Iambic. ひトしレトCCICI- 51110CIRKIICCI CICCートリート ―トしーしトー

806-802. mvp-comment-469-3 The effect produced by the epitrite rhythm in a' 9. β΄ 8, ἐπ. 5, and of the spondees in ß' 6, is especially noticeable.

808. mvp-comment-470-1 νέατον is an adjective. See on Ο. Τ. 155.

810. mvp-comment-471-1 κοὔποτ᾽ αὖθις Sc. ὄψομαι φέγγος ἀελίου.

810. mvp-comment-471-2 παγκοίτας is here active='That seals up all in rest.' Essay on Language pp. 98, 101. The metre suggests πάγκοιτος, cp. infr. 828, the corresponding line of the antistrophe.

812-813. mvp-comment-472-1 Ἀχέροντος ἀκτάν Hom. Od. 10. 509, ἔνθ᾽ ἀκτή τε λάχεια: ib. 513, ἔνθα μὲν εἰς Ἀχέροντα πυριφλεγέθων τε ῥέουσι, κ.τ.λ.

815. mvp-comment-473-1 *ἐπινύμφειος, which Dindorf has restored for ἐπινυμφίδιος, is more probable than ἐπὶ νυμφείοις, although this appears to be supported by the note of the Scholiast, λείπει θύραις ἢ κοίταις.

816. mvp-comment-474-1 Ἀχέροντι As other maidens have been wedded to rivers upon the earth.

820. mvp-comment-475-1 ξιφέων ἐπίχειρα The wages of the sword; i.e. Death given by the sword.

821. mvp-comment-476-1 αὐτόνομος The Scholiast explains this, ἰδίοις αὐτῆς νόμοις χρησαμένη. This is not free from ambiguity; but the true meaning is rather By an ordinance peculiar to your case (ἰδίᾳ τινὶ σεαυτῆς νόμῳ), than In your independence of law, or As being a law to yourself. The chorus nowhere speak with admiration of the independent attitude of Antigone, although they secretly sympathize with her pious motive. The word is used with consciousness of the derivation. The νόμος which is peculiar to Antigone is the privilege of a living death.

823. mvp-comment-477-1 λυγροτάταν In sorriest plight. Supplementary predicate.

824-825. mvp-comment-478-1 τὰν Φρυγίαν ξέναν Ταντάλου] Our friend far off in Phrygia, Tantalus' daughter.' Sipylus was placed by some in Phrygia, by others in Lydia. (Strabo, 12. p. 571.) Donaldson well remarks that févar is applied to Niobe, because she married Amphion, king of Thebes.

828. mvp-comment-479-1 ὄμβρῳ τακομέναν The conjectural emendation ὄμβροι has been very generally received. But the Highlands of Phrygia are not subject to perpetual showers. It is more natural to think of a snow-capped peak ever running down with moisture from the melting snow. On the general sense thus given to ὄμβρος, see Essay on Language § 52. p. 98. And as she flows down with moisture, the snow leaves her not, but still she wets the ridges of her neck beneath her tearful brow. The position of T' need cause no difficulty. Essay on Language pp. 65,6. It has been observed that the words ὀφρύς and δειράς are equally applicable to a mountain and to a human being. The subj. of τέγγει is not χιών but ὁ Νιόβα.

834. mvp-comment-480-1 It is doubtful whether θειογενής οι θεογεννής (= θεογέννητος) should be read for the unmetrical θεογενής.

836. mvp-comment-481-1 Of the two readings, φθιμένα and φθιμένῳ, both of which are given by L, and were known to the Scholiast, the feminine is more likely to be due to a corrector.

837. mvp-comment-482-1 The words ζῶσαν καὶ ἔπειτα θανοῦσαν have little point, and being omitted by Aldus (as in A), have never been restored except by Seyffert, who reads μέγα κἀκοῦσαι in l. 836. Those who omit 837, invert the preceding lines for the sake of the paroemiac, and read καίτοι φθιμένῳ τοῖς ἰσοθέοις | ἔγκληρα λαχεῖν μέγ᾽ ἀκοῦσαι. For ἀκοῦσαι, to have said of one, cp. Phil. 1074, ἀκούσομαι μὲν ὡς ἔφυν οἴκτου πλέως.

840. mvp-comment-483-1 *οὐλομέναν The conjecture of Martin. οἰχομέναν (Wunder) also deserves to be considered.

842. mvp-comment-484-1 She first turns from the elders to the city at large; and then, remembering how little sympathy she has had from man, she appeals, like Philoctetes (936 ff.), in a fresh outburst, to the familiar presences' of nature.

843. mvp-comment-485-1 πολυκτήμονες Thebes was proverbially a wealthy city.

844. mvp-comment-486-1 ἰώ Here she breaks into a louder cry.

845. mvp-comment-487-1 ἄλσος The open ground about the city. Cp. Εl. 5, τῆς οἰστροπλῆγος ἄλσος Ἰνάχου κόρης.

847. mvp-comment-488-1 οἷα, like ὀμοιοτάταν in 832, and λυγροτάταν in 823, is supplementary predicate, and equivalent to an adverb.

851. mvp-comment-489-1 Hermann (ed. 1839) was contented to read οὔτε βροτοῖσιν οὔτ᾽ ἐν νεκροῖσιν, but remarked that the long anacrusis of the second part of the line, οὔτ᾽ ἐν νεκροῖσιν = γάμων κυρήσας is very rare. Qu βροτοῖς, οὔτε τις ἐν νεκροίσιν? But the original line is probably lost.

852. mvp-comment-490-1 Advancing to the utmost verge of daring thou didst fall violently, my daughter, against the lofty throne of Right. ἐκτίνεισ Α.

854. mvp-comment-491-1 βάθρον is here the pedestal on which the image of justice is imagined to rest. Cp. Plat. Phaedr. 254 B, ἰδόντος δὲ τοῦ ἡνιόχου ἡ μνήμη πρὸς τὴν τοῦ κάλλους φύσιν ἠνέχθη. καὶ πάλιν εἶδεν αὐτὴν μετὰ σωφροσύνης ἐν ἁγνῷ βάθρῳ βεβῶσαν, Ο. Τ. 865, νόμοι. . ὑψίποδες.

855. mvp-comment-492-1 πολύ is allowed to pass by Hermann without comment, but has been more recently called in question, partly on the metrical ground that the line should end with a long syllable.

855. mvp-comment-492-2 πολύς is certainly no improvement. On the attempt to give special force to such a general word, see Essay on Language § 51. p. 97.

856. mvp-comment-493-1 But thou art paying some debt of expiation inherited from thy sire.' άθλος is here a task or burden imposed by some higher power, like the labours of Heracles, and is perhaps associated by Sophocles with the derivative ἄθλιος. The combined metaphorical use of ἆθλος and ἐκτίνειν is not too great a stretch of language for Sophocles. Essay on Language p. 105.

857. mvp-comment-494-1 Thou hast touched my saddest thought, the thrice-told tale of my father's sorrow.' Boeckh has cleared up the difficulties of this passage (1) by showing that οἶκτον harmonizes better with the context than οἶτον or οἶκον, and also gives a construction to πότμου: (2) by tracing the derivation of τριπόλιστον from πολίζω = πολέω, which occurs in the compound avναπολίζω : (3) by rightly explaining the dative Λαβδακίδαισιν. See Essay on Language § 13. p. 19. He also points out that μερίμνας is genitive, because the singular is more forcible, and μέριμναν would have suited the metre equally well. The only remaining doubt is the construction of οἶκτον.

857. mvp-comment-494-2 ψαύειν may govern the accusative, as appears from 961. But the change from the genitive to the accusative is still to be accounted for. (1) The word ἔψαυσας was chosen with special reference to μερίμνας. ἔλεξας, or some other general word, would have been sufficient if this had not intervened. Hence the general meaning of the verb (= ἔλεξας) is alone continued. (2) The case is partly governed by the verbal notion in μερίμνας = 8 μεριμνῶ. (3) The tendency of a Greek sentence is to pass from a more special to a more general construction. Essay on Language pp. 64, 5, οἶκτον is to be resumed with πότμου, which is co-ordinate with πατρός. Thou hast harped on what my mind broods over with saddest care, the thrice renewed pity for my father, and for the general fortune of our race, the lot that fell upon the famed Labdacidae. Seyffert thinks that in τριπόλιστον Antigone is thinking of her own ever-deepening grief. But the Scholiast and Boeckh are probably right in explaining the word (like κλεινοῖς) with reference to the widely felt compassion for Oedipus. Cp. O. C. 517, τό τοι πολὺ καὶ μηδαμὰ λῆγον: ib. 597, πᾶς τοῦτό γ' Ἑλλήνων θροεῖ. For τριπόλιστον, cp. Phil. 1238, δὶς ταὐτὰ βούλει καὶ τρὶς ἀναπολεῖν μ' ἔπη.

861. mvp-comment-495-1 κλεινοῖς is said with bitterness, as in O. T. 1207, κλεινὸν Οἰδίπου κάρα. The dative is used in explanation of ἁμετέρου, Ist as clearer than the genitive with so many genitives preceding; 2nd with an ethical' force; the lot that fell on us. 863. O my mother, to whom marriage was calamity, O my hapless father, who in wedlock with a mother, held guilty intercourse with her from whom he came.' ματρῷαι λέκτρων ἆται] ‘My mother's calamity in marriage.' λέκτρων is descriptive or distinctive genitive (Essay on Language § 9. p. 12), and the possessive ματρῷαι is joined to λέκτρων ἆται taken as one word. In observing Antigone's tenderness for her mother we are reminded that the plot of the Oedipus Tyrannus was not yet conceived.

865. mvp-comment-496-1 ματρός is objective genitive, after κοιμήματα = ξυνουσίαι, and also descriptive, like γάμοι τέκνων, Ο. C. 945. For the condensed expression κοιμήματά τ᾿ αὐτογέννητ᾽ = τὸ κοιμηθῆναι σὺν ταύτῃ ἐξ ἧς αὐτὸς ἐγεννήθη, see Essay on Language § 43. p. 81, and for the force of αὐτός in composition, ibid. p. 101. The dative ἐμῷ πατρί (Ε. on L. § 13. p. 19, see on l. 861) is occasioned by the adjective; i. e. αὐτογέννητ᾽ ἦν αὐτῷ τὰ κοιμήματα. The nature of constructions in such condensed expressions can only be explained by expanding each phrase into a sentence. The meaning of the passive verbal termination in αὐτογέννητα is extremely indefinite. The other way of taking the words ('Connubium dicit Jocastae cum Oedipo quem ipsa pepererat,' Dind.), although giving a more obvious construction to the dative, has the fatal blemish of making a twofold apostrophe to Jocasta, whereas οἵων implies a reference to both parents, which is much more forcible.

865. mvp-comment-496-2 The Laur. reading δυσμόρῳ is preferable, because of the peculiar significance of κοιμήματα ματρός.

866. mvp-comment-497-1 οἴων is to be immediately referred to κοιμήματα, Such wedlock as gave me birth.

868. mvp-comment-498-1 μέτοικος may possibly have the association of an alien,' because she could not expect to meet with proper burial. But for the generalised meaning of μέτοικος, cp. supr. 852: О. С. 934: infr. 890, μετοικίας.

872-875. mvp-comment-499-1 There is some piety in pious action; but, as towards him who wieldeth it, authority must in no wise be transgressed. A self-determined impulse hath undone thee.' Cp. Phil. 138, τέχνα γὰρ τέχνας ἑτέρας προὔχει | καὶ γνώμα παρ' ὅτῳ τὸ θεῖον | Διὸς σκῆπτρον ἀνάσσεται, where there is a similar ellipse of the antecedent. The meaning is, He who has authority must not suffer authority to be thwarted. This may be made clearer by supplying ἐκείνῳ, as dative of the person interested, for the antecedent to ὅτῳ. He must not have it (i.e. suffer it to be) transgressed.

877. mvp-comment-500-1 Unhappy, I am led the way that is here prepared for me.' Creon has already entered before these words are said. Cp. infr. 933-934. Mm

883. mvp-comment-501-1 ἀοιδὰς .. πρὸ τοῦ θανεῖν Cp. Aesch. Ag. 1444-1445, ἡ δέ τοι κύκνου δί· κην | τὸν ὕστατον μέλψασα θανάσιμον γόον | κεῖται φιλήτωρ τοῦδε.

884. mvp-comment-502-1 εἰ χρείη If it were allowed. Ср. О. Т. 1110, εἰ χρή τι κἀμὲ μὴ συναλλάξαντά πω, | πρέσβυ, σταθμᾶσθαι: Ο. C. 1711, πῶς με χρὴ τὸ σὸν τάλαιναν ἀφανίσαι τοσόνδ' ἄχος. This modified use of χρή = One is to, not One must,' is only possible in hypothetical or interrogative sentences.

887. mvp-comment-503-1 ἄφετε This is on the whole more probable than ἄπιτε. The change from the future with οὐκ to the imperative has probably occasioned the corruption of the text.

887. mvp-comment-503-2 χρή This the Scholiast explained by χρήσει, i. e. he read χρῇ. And this is necessary, if τυμβεύειν is read in 888. But τυμβεύσει, the reading of Triclinius, is supported by τυμβεύει in AV³. Whether she must die there, or shall live a buried life in that dark cell. For εἰ .. χρή, cp. Εl. 399, πεσούμεθ', εἰ χρή, πατρὶ τιμωρούμενοι. And for τυμβεύσει, see Essay on Language p. 64 b. The intransitive use of τυμβεύειν occurs nowhere else.

889. mvp-comment-504-1 Creon claims to be pure from the blood of Antigone, because he has altered the doom of stoning (1. 36) to that of immurement, and because of the modicum of food that is to be shut in with her, ὡς ἄγος (1. 775).

890. mvp-comment-505-1 'At all events she shall no longer share the right of dwelling with us in the light of day.'

891-892. mvp-comment-506-1 'O cavernous abode of long imprisonment, at once my bridal-chamber and my tomb.'

896. mvp-comment-507-1 πρὶν .. βίου 'Before my allotted portion of life is spent.' Cp. Il. 4. 170, μοῖραν ἀναπλήσῃς βιότοιο. For ἐξήκειν, cp. Τr. 147, ἀλλ᾽ ἡδοναῖς ἄμοχθον ἐξαίρει βίον | ἐς τοῦθ', ἕως ἄν, κ.τ.λ.

897. mvp-comment-508-1 κάρτ᾽ ἐν ἐλπίσιν τρέφω I do cherish it amongst my hopes.

899. mvp-comment-509-1 κασίγνητον κάρα This must be addressed to Polynices, who is most in the thoughts of the spectators, and is again invoked in the same words in 1.915: not to Eteocles, of whose burial Antigone only knew by hearsay, supr. 23 ff. The difficulty of reconciling this with the following lines has been adduced as one of several reasons for rejecting the passage from l. 900 to l. 928 in whole or in part. The lines 905-912 are apt to appear to modern readers, as they did to Goethe, a blemish in a place which might have been expected to be most carefully finished. The saying, which Herodotus, 3. 119, attributes almost in the same terms to the wife of Intaphernes, would seem from this to have had a wide currency in Ionia-for it is a precarious supposition that either author derived it from the other-and fell in with the natural tendency of Greek life to exalt the bond of brotherhood above all other ties of affection and kindred. The general feeling of the speech is well traced by Seyffert. Antigone, when brought face to face with death, in utter isolation from human sympathy, comes down from the lofty tone she had assumed in her first answer to Creon, and recognizes the simple fact that it was the strength of her affection which impelled her to defy the law. Her love for Poly- nices was wonderful, passing the love that could be felt for a husband or a child. She dilates on this and justifies it by a primitive sophism, which the passage of Herodotus cited above shows to be more in the spirit of the time of Sophocles or of the age preceding him than of any later period. If the Antigone is the earliest of the seven plays (see Introduction), we need not be surprised by an archaism of thought which is much less remarkable than several which occur in Aeschylus. In an early English ballad, called the Douglas Tragedy, a woman interceding for the life of her father, whom her lover would slay, gives the following reason :-'True lovers I can get many a one, | But a father I'll never get more.'

900-901. mvp-comment-510-1 In these lines she is thinking of her father and mother. The libation only had been given to Polynices, who is specially mentioned in the following line. Ll. 900, I could not have been written after O. C. 1756 ff.

903. mvp-comment-511-1 περιστέλλουσα Decking for burial,' and SO also protecting from insult. 904. And certainly those who consider rightly will say I did honour thee. For the dative, see Essay on Language § 13. p. 19. Others take e with ἐτίμησα, but for the stress, it was a real honour,'-cp. the emphatic use of ἄνηρ, Ο. C. 393, and of ὕβρις, ib. 882.

905. mvp-comment-512-1 Feeling the incongruity of saying, If I had lost a child, she says, If I had had children, leaving the further supposition to be implied. Mm2

906. mvp-comment-513-1 κατθανὼν ἐτήκετο Had been wasting in death. Cp. 1. 410, μυδῶν τε σῶμα γυμνώσαντες εὖ.

907. mvp-comment-514-1 βίᾳ πολιτών Cp. supr. 74, 5. Creon is the representative of the State, and the elders in supr. 872 ff. have confirmed his sentence. Antigone is throughout perfectly conscious of the nature of her action, and at this moment she sees more clearly than ever the audacity of it. But even after the impulse has subsided she goes resolutely, though sadly, to her fate.

908. mvp-comment-515-1 νόμου Principle. Cp. supr. ll. 191, 613.

909. mvp-comment-516-1 κατθανόντος Sc. τοῦ πόσεως.

910. mvp-comment-517-1 τοῦδε τοῦ παιδός.

912. mvp-comment-518-1 οὐκ ἔστ᾿ .. ποτέ Although not strictly logical, this is much more touching and expressive than οὐκ ἔσθ' ὅπως ἀδελφὸς ἂν βλάστοι ποτέ, which it has been proposed to substitute here.

916. mvp-comment-519-1 διὰ χερῶν .. λαβών διά lit. = Between. Cp. διαλαμβάνω in Hdt., e.g. 1. 114, ἐκέλευε αὐτὸν τοὺς ἄλλους παῖδας διαλαβεῖν: Plat. Rep. В. 10. p. 615 Ε, τοὺς μὲν διαλαβόντες ἦγον.

918. mvp-comment-520-1 παιδείου τροφῆς The rearing of children. This is censured by Dindorf as unmaidenly: but cp. El. 963-966, καὶ τῶνδε μέντοι μηκέτ᾽ ἐλπίσῃς ὅπως | τεύξει ποτ· οὐ γὰρ ὧδ᾽ ἄβουλός ἐστ᾿ ἀνὴρ | Αἴγισθος, ὥστε σόν ποτ᾿ ἡ κἀμὸν γένος | βλαστεῖν ἐᾶσαι, πημονὴν αὐτῷ σαφή : Eur. Ion 485 ff., ἐμοὶ μὲν πλούτου τε πάρος | βασιλικῶν τ' εἶεν θαλάμων | τροφαὶ κήδειοι κεδνῶν τέκνων, κ.τ.λ. For the active sense of τροφή in the passage last quoted and in the text, see Essay on Language $ 53. p. 98, and cp. El. 1143 ff., οἴμοι τάλαινα τῆς ἐμῆς πάλαι τροφῆς | ἀνωφελήτου, τὴν ἐγὼ θάμ᾽ ἀμφί σοι | πόνῳ γλυκεῖ πάρεσχον.

919. mvp-comment-521-1 ἔρημος πρὸς φίλων For the redundant preposition, see Essay on Language §19. p. 28.

920. mvp-comment-522-1 θανάτων, which occurs only in L and M³, is very unlikely to have been changed to θανόντων in the Byzantine period. The latter is therefore probably the authentic reading, and not merely due to conjecture.

921-922. mvp-comment-523-1 ποίαν..; τί χρή ..; The suddenness of these transitions is very expressive of the agitation of Antigone's mind. Her fate leads her even to doubt the providence of the gods, but not to admit that she has done wrong. She will make the admission when death has taught it her, but not before. If her judges are wrong they will suffer too.

922-923. mvp-comment-524-1 ἐς θεοὺς .. βλέπειν Cp. El. 925, μηδὲν ἐς κεῖνόν γ᾽ ὅρα.

923. mvp-comment-525-1 ξυμμάχων ; The partitive genitive expresses with greater emphasis what might have been expressed by the accusative.

923. mvp-comment-525-2 ἐπεί γε δή The momentary doubt about the vindication of right in the world heightens the tragic effect. Cp. Phil. 428, τί δῆτα δεῖ σκοπεῖν; ib. 451, 2, ποῦ χρὴ τίθεσθαι ταῦτα, ποῦ δ᾽ αἰνεῖν, ὅταν | τὰ θεῖ᾽ ἐπαινῶν, τοὺς θεοὺς εὕρω κακούς; Trach. 1266: Aj. 950 ff.

924. mvp-comment-526-1 τὴν δυσσέβειαν The vice of impiety is confused with the blame of impiety, just as ἀρετή sometimes means a reputation for virtue. Cp. Phil. 1443, ἡ γὰρ εὐσέβεια συνθνήσκει βροτοῖς. Εςsay on L. p. 95.

925. mvp-comment-527-1 If, after all, this course of theirs is approved in heaven, when I have suffered I suppose I shall acknowledge my fault. The emphatic position of παθόντες implies, After I have suffered, but not before.' K εγ

927. mvp-comment-528-1 μὴ πλείω κακὰ | πάθοιεν This has actually been interpreted as a prayer of Antigone for her enemies. Others explain it as a warning to them Let them see to it that they do not suffer more. The real meaning is, that she cannot imprecate heavier sufferings on them than they are inflicting on her. Let them suffer, I will not say more, but the same evils which they unrighteously inflict on me. For a curse, similarly half-checked in utterance, with μή. cp. Phil. 961, ὅλοιο μή πω, πρὶν μάθοιμ᾽ εἰ καὶ πάλιν | γνώμην μετοίσεις. To translate this Mayest thou not perish yet, would be a similar mistake to that which has caused the difficulty about the present passage. It is true, however, that Antigone's tone is rather that of one who judges, than of one who condescends to ban her enemies.

927. mvp-comment-528-2 οἴδε Sc. οἱ πολίται. See above, 1.907 and note.

929-930. mvp-comment-529-1 For the addition of αὑταί, see Essay on Language § 40. p. 75, 2, and for ψυχῆς, which is added to soften the metaphor (since the chorus are less bold in an anapaestic than in a purely lyric passage, supr. 137), see ib. 5.

930. mvp-comment-530-1 τήνδε γ' γε gives a natural emphasis to τήνδε, and there is no ground for the conjecture τήνδ' ἐπέχουσιν.

931. mvp-comment-531-1 τούτων, which is genitive of the cause, is not likely to have been interpolated. It is more probable that the second τοι arose from διττογραφία.

933-934. mvp-comment-532-1 θανάτου ἀφίκται This word is nearest death of all that have come. Cp. Thuc. 3. 59, χαλεπώτατον τοῖς ὧδε ἔχουσι λόγου τελευτᾶν, διότι καὶ τοῦ βίου ὁ κίνδυνος ἐγγὺς μετ᾿ αὐτοῦ. The adverb of place is supplementary predicate; see Essay on Language § 24. p. 40. 935-936. μὴ οὐ follows the rule laid down in Essay on Language § 29. p. 49, 3 a. Böckh and Dindorf, taking a hint from the Scholia, give these lines to the chorus, on the ground that Creon has already withdrawn all hope. But the word κατακυροῦσθαι is characteristic of Creon, who may be thought not unlikely, even superfluously. to have made this final assertion of his will.

938. mvp-comment-533-1 θεοὶ προγενεῖς My divine ancestry, including Cadmus and Harmonia, and their parents. Cp. supr. 199, θεοὺς τοὺς ἐγγενεῖς, and note: Hdt. 2.143, Ἑκαταίῳ . . ἀναδήσαντι τὴν πατριὴν εἰς ἑκκαιδέκατον θεών.

940. mvp-comment-534-1 O royal line of Thebè!' This has usually been explained as an address to the chorus. But Antigone expects no more sympathy from them (least of all if ll. 935-936 are rightly given to the chorus). It is rather an apostrophe to the members of the princely family living and dead, including the θεοὶ προγενεῖς. Cp. Aesch. Cho. 800-802, οἱ τ' ἔσω δωμάτων πλουτογαθῆ μυχὸν νομίζετε | κλῦτε, σύμφρονες θεοί.

941. mvp-comment-535-1 *βασιλειδᾶν is Seyffert's ingenious emendation, based on Hesychius' βασιλείδης· ὁ τοῦ βασιλέως. Ismene is throughout only thought of as a foil for Antigone, and there is no more impropriety in Antigone speaking of herself as the last of her race than in the chorus (supr. 599 ff.) singing of the extinction of the light that was spreading over the last remaining shoot of the Labdacidae.

942. mvp-comment-536-1 πρὸς οἴων ἀνδρῶν As a princess, she speaks with scorn of Creon, who is not of royal birth. The words may also contain an allusion to the ἦθος of his (or the chorus'?) last speech.

944-987. mvp-comment-537-1 The chorus, in the manner of Pindar, moralise on the fate of Antigone through examples drawn from the circle of mythology and legend; and thus suggest the same cold comfort as in their mention of Niobe. The effect of this ode is to repress the excitement and solemnize the thoughts of the spectator. 'Danaë, though of royal lineage, and entrusted with the golden shower, was bound by all-constraining destiny in her brazen cell. 'Bound, too, in a prison of rock, was Lycurgus, who provoked the God. He knew his madness when it was too late. And on the Thracian promontory Phineus sons, blinded by their father's wife (Idothea), bewailed their rejected mother Cleopatra's hapless lot, who, descended from an ancient line, and endowed with swiftness by her divine sire, was notwithstanding overtaken by the long-lived fates.' Danae and Cleopatra were, like Antigone, of royal birth, and, like Antigone, were bound in a living tomb. So also was the son of Dryas, himself a king: and this, in his case, was the penalty of an impetuous and defiant spirit. Sophocles seems to have followed one version of the obscure and variable legend of Phineus, according to which Cleopatra did not die, but was rejected by Phineus for Idothea, and imprisoned in a cave, from which she was afterwards released by Heracles. The sons were blinded by their step-mother. The first strophe and antistrophe are choriambic with an iambic close; the second, logaoedic. The choriambi here were probably chanted slowly, so as to have a weighty, solemn effect. The scheme is as follows: a'. First strophe and antistrophe. IILUCI LUCILー LUCILIITUCICートに IICClluclトー IIICCILUCIトに ICICICI KLCICICI CトートUICIK β'. Second strophe and antistrophe. UCCTCCICCI IICCICCII!یں ILU TUCI くいくいトCICIK Cトートしーーー ―トビトCICIK CÚCCICICICC

944. mvp-comment-538-1 φῶς | ἀλλάξαι 'Το exchange the light' (for gloom), i. e. To lose the light. Cp. Phil. 1262, ἀμείψας ..

944. mvp-comment-538-2 στέγας.

945. mvp-comment-539-1 δέμας Form. This word reminds us of the beauty of Danaë, which increased the pathos of her fate.

945. mvp-comment-539-2 ἐν χαλκοδέτοις αὐλαῖς In a brassbound room. The compound of δέω merely suggests the general notion of confinement (Essay on Language § 55. 3, p. 101), and has nothing to do with the riveting of brazen plates to the walls.

949. mvp-comment-540-1 γενεᾷ τίμιος Because descended from Danaus the grandson of Poseidon.

951. mvp-comment-541-1 ὁ μοιριδία τις δύνασις The mysterious power of fate. For the combination of the article and indefinite pronoun, see Essay on Language § 22. p. 36.

952. mvp-comment-542-1 *ὄλβος is Erfurdt's ingenious and probable correction of ὄμβρος. He compares Bacchylides ap. Stob. Ecl. Phys. 1. 166, θνατοῖσι δ᾽ οὐκ αὐθαίρετοι | οὔτ᾽ ὄλβος οὔτ᾽ ἀκάματος Ἄρης οὔτε πάμφθερσις στάσις.

953. mvp-comment-543-1 Cp. Hor. Od. 2. 16, 21,

Scandit aeratas vitiosa naves | Cura.

ἁλίκτυποι is passive: Sea-beaten.

954. mvp-comment-544-1 κελαιναί The Epic νῆες μέλαιναι: i. e. Looking dark against the sea and sky.

955-957. mvp-comment-545-1 The punishment of Lycurgus was the subject of an Aeschylean trilogy. It was variously related. Sophocles chooses the version of the story that suits his purpose. For the earliest description of the crime, see Il. 6. 130-140.

955. mvp-comment-546-1 ζεύχθη resumes κατεζεύχθη, supr. 947.

955. mvp-comment-546-2 ὀξύχολος The very probable conjecture of Scaliger for ὀξυχόλως.

955. mvp-comment-546-3 παῖς ὁ Δρύαντος So Pind. O1. 8. 31, παῖς ὁ Λατούς.

956. mvp-comment-547-1 κερτομίοις όργαῖς Dative of the cause.

957. mvp-comment-548-1 ἐκ Διονύσου By the will of Dionysus. Cp. infr. 1219.

958-961. mvp-comment-549-1 So dire is the excess of rage that flows from madness. He learned at length that it was in madness that he provoked the God with biting speech.' The emphatic reivos applies the γνώμη to the case of Lycurgus. There is a stress on μανίαις.

959. mvp-comment-550-1 τᾶς μανίας Genitive of derivation, partly governed by ἀπό in comp.

959. mvp-comment-550-2 ἀποστάζει For the metaphorical use, cp. Aesch. Ag. 178, στάζει ἐν θ᾽ ὕπνῳ πρὸ καρδίας | μνησιπήμων πόνος. Others render, trickles away, i.e. comes to nought. But οὕτω is more naturally joined with the adjectives, whose position shows that they are emphatic, than with the verb.

960. mvp-comment-551-1 ἀνθηρόν 'Blooming, and so reaching its height: cp. Tr. 1089, ἤνθηκεν, ἐξώρμηκεν. A fury so over-powering, i.e. Leading inevitably to such calamitous issues.

960. mvp-comment-551-2 ἐπέγνω He recognised afterwards, i.e. when punished.

960. mvp-comment-551-3 μανίαις Dative of manner, expressing the predicate, quasi ἐν μανίαις. Essay on Language $ 14. pp. 20, 21. The v. r. μανίας (acc. plur.) is not so good.

961. mvp-comment-552-1 ψαύων In the rather unusual sense of Tempting, Provoking' (= έρε θίζων, cp. καθάπτεσθαι), and hence used, πρὸς τὸ σημαινόμενον, with the accusative. For the language of this passage, cp. Plat. Polit. 310 D, ἐξανθεῖν παντάπασι μανίαις: ib. 273 D, τελευτώντος δ᾽ ἐξανθεῖ τοῦ χρόνου : Legg. 6. 783 Α, διαπυρωτάτους . . μανίαις : ib. 9. 881 Β, μὴ μανίαις ἐχόμενος. And for the construction of κεῖνος.. θεόν, cp. Pind. Pyth. 8. 12, τὰν οὐδὲ Πορφυρίων μάθεν παρ' αἶσαν ἐξερεθίζων. For ἐν, of the instrument, see Essay on Language § 19. p. 27.

964. mvp-comment-553-1 The Bacchic fire,' i.e. The lighted torches of the Bacchanalian rout. Cp. O. T. 214: Eurip. Bacch. 146.

965. mvp-comment-554-1 Μούσας

Inter Bacchi comites a Diodoro 4. 4, recensentur Musae.

(Musgrave.) They are associated by Plato in the Laws, B. 2, p. 672 C. The Muses are here lovers of the flute, i.e. of the Phrygian orgiastic music.

966-968. mvp-comment-555-1 And hard by Cyanean rocks that divide the seas, are the cliffs of the Bosphorus and the Thracian promontory of Salmydessus, where,' etc. The genitive gives indefiniteness to the notion of place, and παρά implies neighbouring extent.

966. mvp-comment-556-1 πελαγέων, see v. rr., although metrically allowable (πελᾶγεων), is condemned by the vagueness of the meaning and the tautology in πελαγέων .. ἁλός. The ingenious conjecture of Wieseler is therefore adopted. It is confirmed by the gloss πετρῶν. The 1st syllable of Ἄρης is long in arsi supr. 139.

969. mvp-comment-557-1 The lost cretic has been differently supplied: ἄξevos Boeckh, ήτων Meineke. A verb is more wanted, e. g.

969. mvp-comment-557-2 ἵσταται, κλήζεται.

970. mvp-comment-558-1 ἀγχίπτολις Ἄρης This can only mean The War-god whose temple is near the city (of Salmydessus). Cp. Aesch. S. c. T. 501. The details of the legend as accepted by Sophocles are unknown to us, and hence we can hardly judge of the appropriateness of the epithet. The Thracian worship of Ares is well known.

971. mvp-comment-559-1 δισσοῖσι Φινεΐδαις Dative of direct reference depending on τυφλωθέν. Essay on Language § 12. p. 18.

972. mvp-comment-560-1 ἀρατόν Accursed; i.e. Bringing a curse on Phineus and Idothea.

972. mvp-comment-560-2 ἕλκος τυφλωθέν. The blinding wound inflicted.' The 'cognate verb᾽ τυφλωθέν is substituted for ποιηθέν or the like. Essay on Language § 17. p. 25, c.

973. mvp-comment-561-1 ἐξ ἀγρίας δάμαρτος For the preposition, see Essay on Language $ 19. p. 28, 2.

973. mvp-comment-561-2 δάμαρτος Idothea, who had been made the wife of Phineus through the repudiation of Cleopatra. 974- ἀλαὸν ἀλαστόροισιν ὀμμάτων κύκλοις] Sightless (i. e. producing blindness) on the vengeful orbits of their eyes. For the causative use of ἀλαόν, see Essay on Language §. 53. p. 98.

973. mvp-comment-561-3 ἀλαστόροισιν Bringing vengeance,' i. e. Pleading successfully though silently for retribution. The dative is partly dative of place and partly of direct reference. Causing blindness in or to the eyes.

975. mvp-comment-562-1 *ἀραχθέντων Lachmann's conjecture for ἀραχθὲν ἐγχέων. When they were smitten. Another is ἄτερθ' ἐγχέων.

976. mvp-comment-563-1 κερκίδων ἀκμαῖσιν A woman's weapon. The shuttle was sharpened at the point, so as to be inserted between the threads, in order to regulate the density of the web. This process was called κερκίζειν, and the art is named by Plato κερκιστική. Plat. Polit. 282 B, C: Sophist. 226 B: Crat. 388 A.

980. mvp-comment-564-1 κλαῖον ματρός, | ἔχοντες ἀνύμφευτον γονάν This punctuation is preferred to κλαῖον, ματρὸς ἔχοντες ἀνύμφευτον γονάν, simply because the fate of Cleopatra, and not that of the Phineidae, is the chief point of the illustration.

980. mvp-comment-564-2 ἔχοντες ἀνύμφευτον γονάν Having a birth not honoured by wedlock: because their mother's marriage was repudiated, and their legitimacy was therefore not acknowledged. Note the repetition of γονά γονάν in a different sense after yovás in 950.

981. mvp-comment-565-1 And she in lineage reached even unto the ancient race of the Erechtheidae.' Because her mother Orithyia, whom Boreas rapt from the Ilissus (Plat. Phaedr. 229 B), was a daughter of Erechtheus. Qy. ἀρχαιογενήτων?

983. mvp-comment-566-1 τηλεπόροις δ᾽ ἐν ἄντροις The exact meaning of the compound epithet is doubtful. Either (1) Far-piercing,' i. e. Extending far into the mountainside: or (2) Distant, the second part of the epithet being redundant, or merely repeating the notion of a hollow passage implied in ἄντροις, i.e. δι' ὧν τηλόσε πορευόμεθα.

985. mvp-comment-567-1 Βορεὰς ἅμιππος Cp. Ο. Τ. 466, and note. And for ἅμα, Hom. Il. 19.415. Keeping pace with the steed over the steep path of the hill. On the compounds of πούς, see Essay on Language $55. p. 101. ὀρθόπους is literally Raising the foot upright. The second part of the compound is subordinated, but in this connection must have reference to the foot of the climber, and not to the foot of the hill. The words ὀρθόποδος ὑπὲρ πάγου are in construction with the verbal notion in ἅμιππος, sc.

985. mvp-comment-567-2 ἅμα ταῖς ἵπποις τρέχειν δυναμένη.

986-987. mvp-comment-568-1 ἀλλὰ κἀπ᾿ ἐκείνᾳ .. ἔσχον But even on her the long-lived fates laid hold. Cp. Hom. Il. 21. 110, ἀλλ᾿ ἔπι τοι καὶ ἐμοὶ θάνατος καὶ μοῖρα κραταιή. ἐπέχειν is To extend to, and the tmesis gives the preposition a fresh construction with the dative. The Fates are ever-living, and therefore can afford to bide their time.

987. mvp-comment-569-1 ὦ παῖ Antigone is apostrophized after her departure, like Oedipus in Ο. C. 1567, πάλιν σε δαίμων δίκαιος αὔξοι. 988, foll. The coming of Teiresias is the beginning of the περιπέτεια, The change in the spirit of Creon's dream. The external marks of the prophet are noticed more prominently than in the Oedipus Tyrannus. Cp. especially 998-990, with O. T. 371, τυφλὸς τὰ τ᾽ ὦτα, κ.τ.λ., and 444, καὶ σύ, παῖ, κόμιζέ με: 992-995, with Ο. Τ. 436, γονεῦσι δ', οἵ σ᾽ ἔφυσαν, ἔμφρονες. The figure of the blind prophet is more ideal in the Oedipus Tyrannus, and the peculiarity of his position is brought out, in a higher mode of art, with one or two light touches. On the other hand, his sudden and unlooked-for coming suits exactly with the purpose of this drama and the person of Creon.

990. mvp-comment-570-1 αὕτη Essay on Language § 22, p. 35.

992. mvp-comment-571-1 The authority of the seer is here simply asserted and acknowledged. Cp. 1053. In the Oedipus Tyrannus he appears with still higher claims, as a prince, whose honours are guarded by his lord Apollo.

993-994. mvp-comment-572-1 οὔκουν .. ἀπεστάτουν .. ναυκληρεῖς] I have not aforetime departed. ..'You have guided, and still guide.' Cp. Tr. 600, 601. The conjecture ένανκλήρεις is no improvement. The present means, You have hitherto guided safely, and this is not inconsistent with what follows. Cp. Aesch. Agam. 1, αἰτῶ, I have been asking.

994. mvp-comment-573-1 δι᾽ ὀρθῆς Sc. κελεύθου. On a safe and successful course.

995. mvp-comment-574-1 I have experienced benefits, and can bear witness of them. Essay on Language §36. p. 66. There is perhaps an allusion here to the sacrifice of Megareus, which was prompted by the prophecy of Teiresias. But cp. 1058 and note.

996. mvp-comment-575-1 φρόνει, κ.τ.λ. (1) Beware once more, as thou standest now upon an edge of peril. The participle is not to be construed with the verb, but is in apposition to the subject. For φρονεῖν absolute, cp. O. T. 617, φρονεῖν γὰρ οἱ ταχεῖς οὐκ ἀσφαλεῖς : ib. 649, πιθοῦ θελήσας φρονήσας τ', ἄναξ, λίσσομαι. Otherwise (2) Know that now again thou standest,' etc. Cp. Trach. 289, φρόνει νιν ὡς ἥξοντα: Phil. 810, σαφῶς φρόνει. The expression ἐπὶ ξυροῦ is proverbial: cp. Il. 10. 173: Eur. H. F. 630.

997. mvp-comment-576-1 ὡς .. στόμα How I shudder at thy speech. ὡs as in l. 82, ὡς ὑπερδέδοικά σου. στόμα has the association of privileged, prophetic utterance, as in Ο. Τ. 426, τοὐμὸν στόμα.

999. mvp-comment-577-1 The οἰωνοσκοπεῖον of Teiresias was shown at Thebes in the time of Pausanias: Paus. 9. 16.

999. mvp-comment-577-2 παλαιόν i. e. consecrated by use from early times.

1000. mvp-comment-578-1 ἵν'.. λιμήν Where I had harbourage for every ominous bird. Essay on Language § 58. p. 105.

1002. mvp-comment-579-1 κλάζοντας Accusative πρὸς τὸ σημαινόμενον, as if ὄρνιθας ἄγνωτα φθεγγομένους had preceded.

1002. mvp-comment-579-2 βεβαρβαρωμένῳ Rendered unintelligible,' Confused. 1003. iv, of the instrument. Cp. supra. 1. 961. φοναῖς, In bloody fray. Dative of manner. Cp. supra, l. 960 .

1004. mvp-comment-580-1 πτερῶν.. ἦν For the whirring of their wings gave no uncertain sound: although their voices did. 1005 ἐγευόμην] By analogy for ἐπειρώμην, I made trial of the divination by burnt sacrifice,' similar to that used in the temple of Ismenus: O. Τ. 21.

1006. mvp-comment-581-1 βωμοῖσι παμφλέκτοισιν At the blazing altar. παν in composition is simply intensive, as in El. 1139: and the epithet is generally descriptive. See Essay on Language § 55. p. 101.

1006. mvp-comment-581-2 ἐκ δὲ θυμάτων 'But from the sacrifice the Fire-god refused to gleam; and on the ash a dank humour dripped from the thigh-bones, and fumed and sputtered, and the gall was sprinkled abroad in air, and the thighs wasted and lay bared of their enclosing fat.

1007. mvp-comment-582-1 For σποδός, cp Ο. Τ. 21: Hdt. 4.35, τῶν μηρίων καταγιζομένων ἐπὶ τῷ βωμῷ τὴν σποδόν.

1009. mvp-comment-583-1 μετάρσιοι is supplementary predicate. The preposition in ἐξέκειντο is emphatic. Cp. Od. 23. 179, ἔνθα οἱ ἐκθεῖσαι πυκινὸν λέχος: Thuc. 4. 129. § 3. ἔτυχον ἐξεστρατοπεδευμένοι ἔξω τῆς πόλεως.

1010. mvp-comment-584-1 καταρρυεῖς is explained to mean Flowing down with moisture,' but means rather Fallen away. Cp. Paus. 10. 2, 6 (L. and S s. ν. καταρρέω 1. 4), νεκροῦ κατερρυηκότος τὰς σάρκας.

1011. mvp-comment-585-1 The apparently active use of καλυπτῆς comes from καλύπτειν, in the sense of placing as a covering, i. e.

1011. mvp-comment-585-2 καλύπτειν πιμελὴν μηροῖς. For the meaning, cp. Aesch. Pr. 496, foll., κνισῇ τε κώλα συγκαλυπτά· καὶ μακρὰν | ὀσφὺν πυρώσας, δυστέκμαρτον ἐς τέχνην | ὥδωσα θνητούς· καὶ φλογωπὰ σήματα | ἐξωμμάτωσα, πρόσθεν ὄντ᾽ ἐπάργεμα.

1013. mvp-comment-586-1 Such failing tokens given by baffling auspices. Lit. Of victims giving no sign. Cp. Ps. 74. 9. We see not our signs; there is no more any prophet. φθίνοντα μαντεύματα are not Prophecies of decay,' but Rites of divination fading away, i. e. losing their virtue. Cp. Ο. Τ. 902, φθίνοντα.. Λαΐου | θέσφατα.

1015. mvp-comment-587-1 τῆς σῆς ἐκ φρενός From thy will. Cp. infr. 1063, ὡς μὴ ᾿μπολήσων ἴσθι τὴν ἐμὴν φρένα.

1016. mvp-comment-588-1 ἐσχάραι τε παντελεῖς And all the number of our sacred hearths. παντελεῖς is little more than πᾶσαι, but expresses that the word ἐσχάραι added to βωμοί comprises every consecrated spot in the whole city. Cp. El. 982, ἔν θ᾽ ἑορταῖς ἔν τε πανδήμῳ πόλει.

1017. mvp-comment-589-1 πλήρεις Infected. Cp. 1052.

1017. mvp-comment-589-2 πλήρης = ἀνάπλεως. Cp. infr. 1052: Phil. 1087-1088, ὦ πληρέστατον αὔλιον | λύπας τᾶς ἀπ᾿ ἐμοῦ. For the general notion, cp. Webster, Appius and Virg. p. 165, ed. Dyce, Come, you birds of death | And fill your greedy cups with human flesh; | Then to the city fly, disgorge it there | Before the senate, and from thence arise | A plague to choke all Rome. Join ὑπὸ .. βορᾶς, not as some edd. πλήρεις.. βορᾶς. By the act of dogs and birds in feeding, etc. So Ellendt. Cp. infr. 1083.

1021. mvp-comment-590-1 εὐσήμους Giving clear augury, opposed to ἄσημος supra 1013.

1021. mvp-comment-590-2 ἀπορροιβδεῖ Utters noisily. The word is not strictly applicable to the screaming of birds. But there is the same indefiniteness about words expressing sound as about the names of colours. This word, expressing a confused noise, is probably suggested by l. 1004.

1022. mvp-comment-591-1 After feeding on the fatness of human carnage.' On the change from singular to plural, see Essay on Language § 36. p. 65.

1025. mvp-comment-592-1 ἐπεὶ δ᾽ ἁμάρτῃ For ἄν omitted, see Essay on. L. § 27. p. 44.

1026. mvp-comment-593-1 ἄνολβος here and in Aj. 1156 (τοιαῦτ᾽ ἄνολβον ἄνδρ᾽ ἐνουθέτει παρών) is a word of blame- Infatuated.'

1029. mvp-comment-594-1 εἶκε τῷ θανόντι Relent towards the dead.

1030. mvp-comment-595-1 ἐπικτανεῖν Το slay a second time.' For the meaning of ἐπί, cp.

1030. mvp-comment-595-2 ἐπεμβάλλω, ἐπιγαμέω, ἐπιπέμπω. For the idea, cp. II. 24. 54: Plat. Rep. 5. 469 D, E. 6 1031. (1) After careful consideration I speak to you with good heed. εὐ, Carefully,' as in O. T. 308, supr. 410, alib. Or (2) εὖ σοι φρ., Meaning well to thee.

1032. mvp-comment-596-1 εἰ κέρδος λέγοι For the optative, see Essay on Language § 36. p. 61, γ, α (1). φέρει or φέροι seems also to be an early reading.

1034. mvp-comment-597-1 ἀνδρὸς τοῦδε The genitive as after ἐφίεσθαι and the like words.

1034-1035. mvp-comment-598-1 κοὐδὲ.. εἰμί And you practise on me with divination too. By a not infrequent inexactness in the use of the Greek passive voice, from πράττειν κατά τινοs, To intrigue against a person, would come πράττεσθαι, 'Το be intrigued against,' and hence ἄπρακτος, Unattempted, Unpractised on, μαντικῆς is gen. of respect after the privative adjective. τὸν πρὸσ σάρδεον Ε. τὸν πρὸ

1035. mvp-comment-599-1 τῶν *ὑπαὶ γένους By whose fraternity, sc. τῶν μαντέων. This is Brunck's emendation, which gives better sense than any other that has been proposed. Creon's heated imagination suggests to him that the whole tribe of prophets and diviners (cp. 1055) have greedily marked him for their prey.

1036. mvp-comment-600-1 I am bartered away long since and turned to gain. Literally, Sold and shipped off. Although ἐμπεφόρτισμαι has the authority of the 1st hand of L, ἐκπεφόρτισμαι is more forcible.

1037. mvp-comment-601-1 *τἀπό Professor Geddes, in his Problem of the Homeric Poems,' p. 168, note 15, prefers ἤλεκτρος as the form of nominative, on analogy of other metals, such as χρυσός, etc., which are masculine. But the general opinion is in favour of ἥλεκτρον neuter, and although τὸν πρὸς Σαρδεῶν is not unmetrical, τᾶπό Σαρδέῶν is preferable here in point of rhythm. Granting that ἤλεκτρος is masculine in late Greek, it is unlikely that Herodotus, 3, 115, would write τὸ ἤλεκτρον, and Sophocles here τὸν .. ἤλεκτρον.

1040. mvp-comment-602-1 βοράν He echoes the word of Teiresias supr. 1017.

1042-1043. mvp-comment-603-1 οὐ μὴ .. παρήσω The future indicative after οὐ μή, as in O. C. 177, οὗ τοι μήποτέ σ᾽ ἐκ τῶνδ᾽ ἑδράνων, ὦ γέρον, ἄκοντά τις ἄξει : Εl. 1052, οὗ σοι μὴ μεθέψομαί ποτε. Cp. Phil. 612, οὐ μή ποτε | πέρσοιεν. In all these places there may be a slight confusion of two constructions. See Essay on Language § 36. p. 62, and for the slight redundancy of expression, which marks Creon's eagerness, ib. § 40. p. 75.

1044. mvp-comment-604-1 'There is no power in man to touch the gods with pollution.' Creon's scepticism (cp. Aesch. Ag. 369-372: Plat. Legg. B. 10) anticipates the Epicurean notion of the Divine Nature, which Nec bene promeritis capitur, neque tangitur ira. Cp. with this and with O. T. 964, foll., Hector's defiance of augury in Il. 12. 237, foll.

1048. mvp-comment-605-1 The sentence, interrupted by Creon's question, is continued in 1050.

1050. mvp-comment-606-1 Wherefore? What means this universal doubt?' πάγκοινον refers to ἀνθρώπων τις.

1052. mvp-comment-607-1 πλήρης Infected. Cp. supr. 1017.

1054. mvp-comment-608-1 λέγεις Sc. κακῶς τὸν μάντιν. Essay on Language § 39. p. 73, 6.

1056. mvp-comment-609-1 τὸ δ᾽ ἐκ τυράννων The mean- ing of the preposition is not to be pressed. It is merely an extension of the familiar metaphor of γένος, Kind for Class. Cobet conj. τὸ δέ γε τυράννων. But not to advert to the broken tribrach in the first place, so unlike the earlier manner of Sophocles, the expression is less forcible. It is like the difference between saying the class of tyrants and the breed of tyrants in English. Cp. Eur. Hec. 254-255, ἀχάριστον ὑμῶν σπέρμ᾽, ὅσοι δημηγόρους | ζηλοῦτε τιμάς. On the γένεσις of the tyrant, see Ο. Τ. 873, ὕβρις φυτεύει τύραννον.

1057. mvp-comment-610-1 The accusative ταγούς is in a double construction with λέγεις and λέγων. The construction of the participle is also twofold: i. e. οἶσθα ταγοὺς ὄντας οὓς λέγεις ἃ ἂν λέγῃς.

1058. mvp-comment-611-1 For you possess this city through saving it by my counsel. ἐξ ἐμοῦ depends partly on ἔχεις and partly on σώσας. The line has been supposed to refer to the self-immolation of the son of Creon by the advice of Teiresias. Eur. Phoen. 918, foll. Cp. supr. 933-935, infr. 1303. But it is not clear that Sophocles has any distinct incident in view. These things are ἔξω τοῦ μυθεύματος, Ar. Poet. 1460 a.

1060. mvp-comment-612-1 τἀκίνητα .. φράσαι Τo utter what ought not to be mooted even in thought.' 1062. (1) These words are generally interpreted as interrogative. Do I really seem in what I have already said to do so in regard to you? i. e. You at least are not likely to reward me for my prophecy. And this is on the whole the most pointed way of taking the words. Wecklein understands them to mean, (2) 'Methinks, so far as you are concerned, I do speak so; i. e. My speech will not bring you gain. In the former case (1) τὸ σὸν μέρος ίς τ. σ. μ. τῆς δοκήσεως: in the latter (2) it is τ. σ. μ. τῶν ἀποβησομένων ἐκ τοῦ λόγου.

1063. mvp-comment-613-1 'I tell thee thou shalt not make traffic of my purposes;' i. e. They shall not be changed so as to bring gain to you, whether it be from me or from others that you look for gain.

1064. mvp-comment-614-1 μή See Essay on Language § 29. p. 49, с.

1065. mvp-comment-615-1 τρόχους ἁμιλλητῆρας ἡλίου Not many swift courses of the sun; i. e. The days will be short, and few. On the condensation of time in this play, see Introduction. Cp. Milton, Sonnet 7. My hasting days fly on with full career: Shakespeare, Sonnet 60, Like as the waves make towards the pebbled shore, | So do our minutes hasten to their end; | Each changing place with that which goes before, In sequent toil all forwards do contend.

1065. mvp-comment-615-2 τροχούς would mean, 'Not many turns of the sun's chariot wheel.'

1066. mvp-comment-616-1 ἐν οἷσι The regular construction after the negative would be πρὶν ἀντιδοῦναι: but the sentence takes an affirmative turn, and is continued as if the beginning were ὀλίγαι ἡμέραι ἔσονται .. ἐν ais. Essay on Language § 36. p. 64. Ср. О. С. 617 ff. μυρίας μυρίος | χρόνος τεκνοῦται νύκτας ἡμέρας τ᾿ ἰὼν | ἐν αἷς, κ.τ.λ. δ

1067. mvp-comment-617-1 νεκρῶν ἀμοιβόν For a kindred fancy, cp. Aesch. Agam. 437, ὁ χρυσαμοιβὸς δ' Ἄρης σωμάτων | καὶ ταλαντοῦχος ἐν μάχῃ δορός, κ.τ.λ.

1068. mvp-comment-618-1 ἀνθ᾽ ὧν The antecedent is to be gathered from νεκρῶν in l. 1067.

1068. mvp-comment-618-2 τῶν ἄνω Sc. τινά: i. e. Antigone.

1069. mvp-comment-619-1 ἀτίμως i. e. εἰς ἀτιμίαν. See Essay on Language § 24. p. 40.

1070. mvp-comment-620-1 i.e. ἔχεις δὲ αὐ ἐνθάδε, ἄμοιρον τῶν κάτωθεν θεῶν. On the order of words, see Essay on Language pp. 66, 67.

1071. mvp-comment-621-1 ἀκτέριστον, ἀνόσιον Without funeral rites, and unsanctified. Cp. Shakespeare, Hamlet, 1. 5,

Unhouseled, disappointed, unaneled.

1073. mvp-comment-622-1 βιάζονται (1) Sc. οἱ ἄνω θεοί, to whom it was an offence to have a dead body intruded into their realm: or, (2) the gods generally, including θεῶν in 1070, as well as θεοῖσιν in 1072. In support of the former interpretation (1), Mr. Evelyn Abbott has adduced Lys. 2. 7, Ἀδράστου δὲ καὶ Πολυνείκους ἐπὶ Θήβας στρατευσάντων καὶ ἡττηθέντων μάχῃ, οὐκ ἐώντων Καδμείων θάπτειν τοὺς νέκρους, Ἀθηναῖοι ἡγησάμενοι ἐκείνους μέν, εἴ τι ἠδίκουν, ἀποθανόντας δίκην ἔχειν τὴν μεγίστην, τοὺς δὲ κάτω τὰ VOL. I. Nn αὑτῶν οὐ κομίζεσθαι, ἱερῶν δὲ μιαινομένων τοὺς ἄνω θεοὺς ἀσεβεῖσθαι, κ.τ.λ.

1078. mvp-comment-623-1 φανεῖ Sc. ταῦτα, i. e. the truth of 11. 1074-1076. The cry of men and women in thy halls shall declare it ere long. For φαίνω in this sense, cp. O. C. 721, φαίνειν ἔπη. For the ellipse, οὐ μακροῦ χρόνου τριβή, sc. ἐγγενήσεται πρὶν ἂν φήνῃ αὐτό, cp. supr. 1. 577. This is more probable than the other explanation, which is certainly possible, A little while will bring forth lamentations, etc. Some MSS. have τριβή, i.e. τριβῇ.

1079. mvp-comment-624-1 For ἀνδρῶν γυναικῶν, cp. Aristoph. Ran. 157, θιάσους εὐδαίμονας | ἀνδρῶν γυναικῶν.

1080. mvp-comment-625-1 And all cities are (even now) being stirred up in leagued enmity (to Thebes), whose mangled citizens have found burial in being devoured by dogs, or by wild beasts, or by some winged bird, that bears an unholy savour into a city and its sacred hearths. This is probably intended by Sophocles as a prophecy of the war with the Epigoni, of which the seeds are said to be laid by the abomination of some bird carrying an inauspicious odour home. It is assumed, although not mentioned elsewhere in the play, that the bodies of the allies of Polynices had shared his fate, as there had been no truce for burying the dead. This is part of the legend as appears from the Supplices of Euripides. For the expression, cp. Aesch. S. c. T. 1020, οὕτω πετηνῶν τόνδ' ὑπ᾽ οἰωνῶν δοκεῖ | ταφέντ᾽ ἀτίμως τοὐπι· τίμιον λαβεῖν : Soph. El. 1487, καὶ κτανὼν πρόθες | ταφεῦσιν ὧν τόνδ' εἰκός ἐστι τυγχάνειν: Gorg. ap. Long. 3. 2, γῦπες ἔμψυχοι τάφοι: Shaksp. Macbeth, 3. 4,

Our monuments | Shall be the maws of kites.

The conceit is common with the Elizabethan dramatists. Seyffert's conjecture, ὅσαν τὰ πράγματ' ἢ κύνες καθήγνισαν, Whose business has been marred with pollution by dogs, etc., is rather pointless, and gives a very doubtful meaning to καθαγνίζειν = To affect with pollution. It is uncertain whether καθήγνισαν or καθήγισαν is the right word. The latter is somewhat more probable as the Ionic form. Cp. ἁγίζω.

1083. mvp-comment-626-1 ἑστιοῦχον ἐς πόλιν i. e. Not into the wastes, where such pollution can do no harm, but to a city, where it tends to injure the sacred fire on the public and private hearths, which are the pledge of safety to the citizens. Boeckh objects to the above interpretation of 11. 1080 ff., and supposes them to contain a general maxim pointed at the case of Thebes. Any state is sure to rise in enmity in which a mangled corse has been devoured, etc.

1084. mvp-comment-627-1 Such arrows like a bowman have I launched at you in wrath, for you provoke me, arrows that pierce the heart and fasten there, whose smart you will not escape.' He echoes ll. 1033, foll. καρδίας is objective genitive after the verbal notion in τοξεύματα.

1090. mvp-comment-628-1 τὸν νοῦν.. τῶν φρενῶν The spirit of his thoughts. Cp. γνώμη φρενῶν, Ο. Τ. 524: infr. 1228, τίνα | νοῦν ἔσχες;

1091. mvp-comment-629-1 βέβηκε δεινὰ θεσπίσας The stress is on the participle, as in 246 supra, θάψας βέβηκε.

1092-1093. mvp-comment-630-1 ἐξ ὅτου.. τρίχα Since I have been crowned with these locks, once dark, which now are white with age. The expression is condensed by prolepsis, so that the phrase λευκὴν ἐκ μελαίνης, which, if the thought had been regularly developed, would have been added in apposition, has the place of an attribute.

1094. mvp-comment-631-1 μὴ .. λακεῖν μή is preferred to οὐ because of the abstract generality of the statement, which is also the reason of an implied precept not to disobey the seer. Cp supr. 1064 and note.

1096. mvp-comment-632-1 'But by resistance to bring the stroke of calamity upon one's soul is an alternative which presents a terrible aspect.' ἄτῃ = πρὸς ἄτην. Ε. on L. § II. p. 18. The words ἐν δεινῷ πάρα have been questioned by Nauck, but nothing better has been substituted; and the phrase is supported by the analogy of ἐν καλῷ El. 384, ἐν ὁμοίῳ, Thuc. 2. 53.

1098. mvp-comment-633-1 Κρέον, the reading of most of the later MSS, is not improbable, λαβεῖν οι λακεῖν of L. having come in accidentally from 1094. λαβεῖν, which Seyffert had conjectured, gives a kind of sense, and so does τάχα of E. But neither is satisfactory. The true reading is possibly lost.

1100. mvp-comment-634-1 The chorus think of first saving the living and then burying the dead: but Creon's superstition once awakened drives him to the opposite course. Infr. 1197 ff.

1103-1104. mvp-comment-635-1 συντέμνουσι .. βλάβαι For the swiftly coming harms of the gods suddenly overtake (or 'make short work with') the evil-minded. συντέμνειν, in the generally neuter or absolute sense of To come quickly on, here acquires a new construction with the accusative. Essay on Language § 16. p. 23. Cp. Hdt. 5. 41, τοῦ χρόνου συντάμνοντος, i.e. Adpropinquante, instante tempore.

1105. mvp-comment-636-1 I find it hard indeed, but yet I wrench my soul from her place to do this thing. Cp. Plat. Rep. 10. 607 E, βίᾳ μέν, ὅμως δ᾽ ἀπέχονται.

1106. mvp-comment-637-1 τὸ δρᾶν For the article with epexegetic inf., cp. O. T. 1418, τὸ πράσ· σειν καὶ τὸ βουλεύειν.

1107. mvp-comment-638-1 ἐπ᾿ ἄλλ. τρ. i. e. ἐπίτρεπτε ἄλλ.

1108. mvp-comment-639-1 ἴτ' τ' This reading, which ap- pears only in the text of Triclinius, is more probable than any other, the broken tribrach being excused by the agitation of Creon.

1109. mvp-comment-640-1 οἵ τ᾿ ὄντες οἵ τ᾿ ἀπόντες ὄντες = παρόντες, as in El. 305, τὰς οὔσας τέ μου | καὶ τὰς ἀπούσας ἐλπίδας διέφθορεν.

1110. mvp-comment-641-1 εἰς ἐπόψιον τόπον To the place in view. Polynices was exposed on the highest part of the plain, and this may have been represented in outline as part of the scenery.

1111. mvp-comment-642-1 For the personification of δόξα, cp. Ο. Τ. 911, δόξα μοι παρεστάθη, and see Essay on Language pp. 91, 92, 105.

1112. mvp-comment-643-1 αὐτός τ᾽ ἔδησα καί For the sake of emphasis, what would naturally be expressed by the participle is made into a coordinate sentence with the finite verb. Cp. Ο. Τ. 413, σὺ καὶ δέδορκας κού βλέπεις ἵν' εἶ.. Ε. on L. p. 68.

1115. mvp-comment-644-1 In the excitement of a desperate hope caused by the late repentance of Creon, the chorus break forth into a joyous invocation to Dionysus, accompanied with dancing or gesticulation, as appears in comparing the similar canticle in Aj. 693, where the chorus are under the excitement of a similar delusive expectation. Cp. Tr. 205-224. The Dionysiac worship, of which the tragic poet is a votary, is associated with the mystic hopes which Creon denied, supr. 780.

1115. mvp-comment-644-2 Glory of Semele, child of Zeus, Thou that tendest Campania And rulest in Eleusis' mystic vale, Dwelling, where thy votaries dwell, In Thebes by Ismenus' waters, Presiding o'er the dragon's brood: Seen o'er the forked height By the pitchy flame, Where move the Bacchic nymphs of Corycus, Where is the Castalian fount: And ushered on thy way to visit Thebe's roads By the ivy-clad banks of Nysean mountains, And the bloomy shore with many a cluster, While the shout of the immortal strain resounds. Thebè thou honourest far above all cities, Thou and thy mother whom the lightning glorified. And now that our whole multitude Is overtaken by misfortune dire, Appear with healing tread, Over the Parnassian steep Or groaning narrow sea. Thou that leadest up the dance of the fire-breathing stars, Visitant of nightly voices, Son born of Zeus, Rise with thy attendant Maenads, Who, all night long. Celebrate thee with dances, Iacchus, the dispenser of their joys.

1115. mvp-comment-644-3 This ode has been variously arranged. The arrangement in the text is that of Böckh, with a few slight changes. a'. First strophe and antistrophe. ICICIC lululuclalalclcl luclcla 5----- 다 !トーートしcita ICICーートト β'. Second strophe and antistrophe. トCICICに The prevailing rhythm is logaoedic, with frequent syncope (or antispastic movement), long syllables in thesi, and occasional resolution both of arsis and thesis. Each strophe begins with an anacrusis.

1115. mvp-comment-644-4 πολυώνυμε Schol. ὦ Διόνυσε· οἱ μὲν γὰρ Βάκχον, οἱ δὲ Ιακχον, οἱ δὲ Λύαιον, οἱ δὲ Εὔιον, οἱ δὲ Διθύραμβον αὐτὸν καλοῦσιν. Bacchus is claimed as a Theban God, and at the same time, the wide extent of his dominion is celebrated.

1115. mvp-comment-644-5 ἄγαλμα Delight, or Glory. The word expresses the pride taken by a mother in her child. Plat. Tim. 37 D, τῶν ἀϊδίων θεῶν γεγονὸς ἄγαλμα: Eur. Suppl. 370, ματέρος ἄγαλμα.

1118. mvp-comment-645-1 κλυτὰν .. Ἰταλίαν The mention of Italy is singular, but hardly more so than that of Naxos in connection with Dionysus. The aim of the song being to celebrate the universality of his empire, it is not wonderful that allusion should be made to Italy, quam gravidae fruges et Bacchi Massicus humor Implevere, Virg. Georg. 2. 143. And if Italy was mentioned by Sophocles in the Triptolemus in connection with Demeter, why not here in connection with Bacchus? Fr. 540 N. Ut.. Sophocles poeta in fabula Triptolemo frumentum Italicum ante cuncta laudaverit, ad verbum translata sententia Et fortunatam Italiam frumento canere candido. Plin. H. N. 18. 12. Some edd. substitute Ἰκαρίαν, an eastward deme of Attica, and a seat of Dionysiac worship.

1120. mvp-comment-646-1 In the all-receiving bosom of Eleusinian Demeter;' i. e. In the vale of Eleusis, where the mystae from all parts of Greece were received. Cp. Pind. Ol. 14. 23, κόλποις Πίσας: Hdt. 4.99, κόλπου . . ἀγομένου τῆς γῆς ταύτης, and esp. Aristoph. Ran. 373, χώρει νυν πᾶς ἀνδρείως | ἐς τοὺς εὐανθεῖς κόλπους | λειμώνων, κ.τ.λ.

1123-1124. mvp-comment-647-1 παρ' ὑγρὸν Ἰσμηνοῦ ῥεῖθρον] Some have preferred, chiefly for metrical reasons, the Triclinian reading παρ᾽ ὑγρῶν .. ῥεέθρων, for which compare supr. 1. 966.

1125. mvp-comment-648-1 ἐπί Cp. Τr. 356, τἀπὶ Λυδοῖς.

1126-1127. mvp-comment-649-1 στέροψ.. λιγνύς The blinding torch-flame hath beheld. There is an opposition of sound rather than of sense in στέροψ ὄπωπε. Cp. Eur. Phoen. 226, ὦ λάμπουσα πέτρα πυρὸς | δικόρυφον σέλας ὑπὲρ ἄκρων | Βακχείων Διονύσου, where the succeeding lines also deserve to be compared with the description of Mount Parnassus in this passage. The fabled fire on Mount Parnassus was commonly explained of the torches of the Maenads, and seems to have been so understood by Sophocles.

1128. mvp-comment-650-1 Κωρύκιαι So named from the Corycian cave on Mount Parnassus. Aesch. Eum. 22, σέβω δὲ νύμφας, ἔνθα Κωρυκὶς πέτρα, | κοίλη, φίλορνις, δαιμόνων ἀναστροφαί.

1130. mvp-comment-651-1 Κασταλίας.. νᾶμα (1) Sc.

1130. mvp-comment-651-2 ὄπωπέ σε, or (2) ἔνθα Κασταλίας νᾶμα, sc. ἐστί. Probably the latter (2).

1131-1136. mvp-comment-652-1 Νυσαίων. ἀγυιάς Bacchus is imagined as leaving the throng of revellers, who follow in his train along the Nysaean slopes in Euboea, and as crossing the sounding frith' (1. 1145) to visit the streets of Thebes.

1133. mvp-comment-653-1 χλωρά Lustrous with fresh green. The word suggests the richness of young vegetation, especially of the vine. See Essay on Language p. 103. Stephanus in Νύσαι .. δεκάτη ἐν Εὐβοίᾳ, ἔνθα διὰ μιᾶς ἡμέρας τὴν ἄμπελόν φασιν ἀνθεῖν, καὶ τὸν βότρυν πεπαίνεσθαι.

1134. mvp-comment-654-1 By adding *τῶν in this line, and reading ῥεῖθρον in 1124, we obtain ーーム, a diiambus followed by an epitritus, and a trochee or spondee.

1140. mvp-comment-655-1 νύν, νῦν, as in Pindar.

1141. mvp-comment-656-1 έχεται Cp. Plat. Legg. 10. 887 Ε, ἐν συμφοραῖς παντοίαις ἐχομένων.

1141. mvp-comment-656-2 ἐπὶ νόσου] See Essay on Language § 19. p. 27.

1143. mvp-comment-657-1 μολεῖν

Der Inf. giebt etwas kindlich frommes.

Wecklein.

1146-1147. mvp-comment-658-1 πῦρ πνεόντων *ἄστρων χοραγέ*] Cp. Ar. Ran. 341-342, Ιακχ᾽, ὦ Ιακχε, νυκτέρου τελετῆς φωσφόρος ἀστήρ. Bacchus is lord and leader of the sights and sounds of night. The stars in their courses hold revel with his torchbearers: the voices of the night are wakened by their shouting. This is more probable than an allusion to the mystical notion that Bacchus was an impersonation of the sun. I have ventured to retain καί, transposing the two preceding words and scanning πνεόντων as a spondee by synizesis.

1146-1147. mvp-comment-658-2 πυρπνεόντων may be taken as a compound. Cp. Hom. Il. 7. 310, άελπτεοντες.

1149. mvp-comment-659-1 παῖ Διὸς γένεθλον i.e. as Hermann says, παῖ Διὸς γεγώς. Ever youthful offspring of Zeus.

1150. mvp-comment-660-1 Ναξίαις i.e. From Ariadne's island.

1152. mvp-comment-661-1 τὸν ταμίαν The word ταμίας, as appears from its use in Pindar, had in Doric Greek the special meaning of Lord (cp. the Anglo-Saxon Hlafford): and may have been a favourite attribute of Bacchus in this sense.

1156. mvp-comment-662-1 στάντα (1) The participle is to be taken closely with the adjective = τινὰ στάσιν ἔχοντα, as in the gloss of V. There is no present position of a human life, in which I would praise it, or find fault with it. Cp. Phil. 174, ἐπὶ παντί τῳ χρείας ἱσταμένῳ, where the participle is similarly added in epexegesis. Or, χώρας] χέων Ε.

1156. mvp-comment-662-2 ἐμοί, ποτέ] 1164. θάλλων] possibly, (2) No settled condition, or (3), like στάντες τ' ἐς ὀρθών, Ο. Τ. 50, No life that is in prosperity. (1) is confirmed by 1160.

1160. mvp-comment-663-1 And no one can prophesy to mortals respecting their present state:' i.e. Whether it will continue or change.

1162. mvp-comment-664-1 σώσας.. εὔθυνε There is a change from the participial construction to the indicative as well as from μὲν.. δέ τo τε: ie. σώσας agrees with the subject of ἦν, and the finite verb εὔθυνε is substituted for εὐθύνων. This is more in accordance with the growing nature of the language of Sophocles, than to suppose, with Seyffert, that σώσας begins a new sentence in apposition to, and epexegetic of, the previous clause. 1165 ff. See v. rr. Seyffert conjectures καὶ γὰρ ἡδοναὶ ὅταν προδῶσιν ἀνδρός. Cp. supr. 578, and note. On the change from plural to singular, see Essay on Language §20. p. 31. And on the inversion (ἡδονὰς προδῶσιν ἄνδρες = ἡδοναὶ προδῶσιν ἄνδρας), ibid. § 42. p. 80, β. In favour of the reading of the MSS. it must be admitted that the plural ἄνδρες, in this pronominal sense, is unusual. The meaning of the MS. reading is, 'A man's pleasures, when they have deserted him, I hold of no account.' But this does not agree with the concluding lines of the speech. Line 1167 had been dropped, and then l. 1166 was altered so as to make sense.

1168. mvp-comment-665-1 πλουτεῖ.. καὶ ζῇ This is the first hand of L, and the words are so quoted by Athenaeus according to some MSS. I have always felt that the transition to the second person imperative (which has been suggested by εἰ βούλει) was somewhat harsh. The present indicative is sometimes used in putting a hypothetical case: (Plat. Theaet. 192 Ε, Σωκράτης ἐπιγιγνώσκει Θεόδωρον καὶ Θεαίτητον, ὁρᾷ δὲ μηδέτερον. So the aor. indicative in Hdt. 7. 10, καὶ δὴ καὶ συνήνεικε ἤτοι κατὰ γῆν ἢ καὶ κατὰ θάλασσαν ἑσσωθῆναι, κ.τ.λ.) And the conversational use of εἰ βούλει (which assists the expression) is too familiar to need illustration. See L. and S. s. v. βούλομαι, 11. 2.

1171. mvp-comment-666-1 πρὸς τὴν ἡδονήν resumes and supplements τὸ χαίρειν. Essay on Language § 40. p. 75.

1173. mvp-comment-667-1 αἴτιοι θανεῖν Sc. τοὺς τεθνηκότας. 'Are guilty guilty of their death.

1175. mvp-comment-668-1 αὐτόχειρ On the indefiniteness of the compounds of αὐτός, see Essay on Language p. 101. This word, as here used, is extended from meaning By his own hand, to mean By unnatural violence. See above, l. 172 , and cp. the Latin parricida.

1177. mvp-comment-669-1 φόνου For the death of Antigone. This is better than φόνῳ, which, however, might mean In a murderous way, i.e. ξὺν φόνῳ. Cp. 1. 1233.

1178. mvp-comment-670-1 ἤνυσας Didst fulfil; i.e. How true it was, and how thou hast fulfilled it! Early language supposes a causal connection between the prophecy and the event. See on O. T. 156, 720. And for ὀρθόν, ibid. 853

1182. mvp-comment-671-1 κλύουσα παιδός Essay on Language § 9. p. 13. 1184-1185. Ср. О. T. 911 ff., El. 634 ff.

1186. mvp-comment-672-1 κλῇθρ᾽ ἀνασπαστοῦ πύλης Said by prolepsis and hypallage for τὴν πύλην, τῶν κλήθρων ἀνασπωμένων, with the same confusion between the door and the fastening which occurs elsewhere. I was opening the door, having drawn the bolt.

1191. mvp-comment-673-1 Here, and infr. 1203, 1312, as well as probably supr. 993, the death of Creon's son Megareus, elsewhere called Menoeceus, is alluded to.

1192. mvp-comment-674-1 παρών 'As an eye-witness of the fact. See Essay on Language § 32. P. 55.

1194. mvp-comment-675-1 ὧν Sc. τούτοις τοῖς ἔπεσι, περὶ ὧν. Essay on Language § 9. p. 13.

1195. mvp-comment-676-1 ὀρθὸν .. ἀεί Truth is always safe: i. e. never hurts him who tells it.

1197. mvp-comment-677-1 νηλεές Uncared for. О. Т. 180, νηλέα .. κεῖται ἀνοίκτως.

1199. mvp-comment-678-1 ἐνοδίαν θεόν Probably Hecate. Cp. Fr. 490. πῦρ ἱερόν, | τῆς εἰνοδίας Ἑκάτης ἔγχος.

1200. mvp-comment-679-1 εὐμενεῖς Supplementary predicate, agreeing with θεών and Πλούτωνα : i.e. ὥστε εὐμενεῖς εἶναι.

1201. mvp-comment-680-1 ἐν νεοσπάσιν θαλλοῖς This probably had a ceremonial importance. Cp. O. C. 466, foll., especially l. 474, θαλλοῖσιν, ἢ κρόκαισιν, ἢ ποίῳ τρόπῳ;

1202. mvp-comment-681-1 ὃ δὴ λέλειπτο resumes τὸν μέν with greater definiteness, and repeats what is implied in κυνοσπάρακτον. συγκατήθομεν implies that scattered fragments were collected.

1203. mvp-comment-682-1 For the feeling of οἰκείας, cp. Ο. C. 406, ἢ καὶ κατασκιῶσι Θηβαίᾳ κόνει; 1206-1207. And ere we came near one heard the voice of shrill lamentings in the neighbourhood of the unhallowed cell.'

1207. mvp-comment-683-1 ἀκτέριστον.. παστάδα The unhallowed vault. Lit. The narrow cell, not consecrated by funeral rites.'

1209. mvp-comment-684-1 τῷ δ᾽. ἆσσον And as he came nearer, an undistinguishable crying filled his ears. See Essay on Language § 10. p. 17, and for περιβαίνει, cp. Hom. Od. 6. 122, ἀμφήλυθε θήλυς ἀϋτή.

1210. mvp-comment-685-1 In the phrase άσσον ἕρπειν, To draw near, ἆσσον, which was a rare word in Attic, lost something of the comparative meaning. Hence the double comparative.

1211. mvp-comment-686-1 δυσθρήνητον Lamentable. For the apparently active use of the verbal, see Essay on Language p. 98.

1212. mvp-comment-687-1 ἆρ᾽ εἰμὶ μάντις; 'Are my heart's forebodings true?' i.e. Must I believe what my heart is telling me?

1213. mvp-comment-688-1 τῶν παρελθουσῶν ὁδῶν Cp. О. С. 1397.

1214. mvp-comment-689-1 σαίνει It has been supposed that this word reverts to its original meaning as a derivative of σείω, being used actively in the sense of To thrill.' But it is more in accordance with analogy to suppose that it has passed through the following changes of meaning: (1) to move frequently: (2) to wag the tail; σαίνειν οὔρῃ: (3) to make signs of recognition, to greet: (4) to touch with a feeling of recognition. See Essay on Language p. 99 (ὄμμα).

1216. mvp-comment-690-1 In preparing the vault, an opening had been left, through which the victim was thrust into the chamber. This opening was then roughly closed with stones. (1) Through these Haemon had passionately torn his way. And the cleft so made by him is the ἁρμὸς χώματος λιθοσπαδής. Entering within the closure from which the stones have been torn, even to the very mouth of the vault. Or (2), supposing a prolepsis, Pulling out the stones and entering.

1219. mvp-comment-691-1 ἐξ ἀθύμου δεσπότου κελεύσμασιν On hearing our despairing lord and at his bidding. Cp. supr. l. 957. Haemon, on rushing in, had found Antigone already dead by her own act.

1222. mvp-comment-692-1 καθημμένην Fastened, sc. to the roof. Those who read καθειμένην must have understood it to mean let down, i.e. suspended. The muslin noose of fine tissue is the maiden's veil, the βύσσινον πέπλωμα of Aesch. S. c. T. 1039.

1225. mvp-comment-693-1 Lamenting the ruin of his bridal, that was only to be found in death (τῆς κάτω).' λέχος] Bride.

1228. mvp-comment-694-1 τίνα νοῦν ἔσχες What design possessed you?

1229. mvp-comment-695-1 ἐν τῷ.. διεφθάρης At what point of calamity did you go mad? Cp. Hom. Il. 15. 128, μαινόμενε, φρένας ἠλέ, διέφθορας: Eur. Hell. 1192, λύπῃ σὰς διέφθαρσαι φρένας;

1231. mvp-comment-696-1 τόν is governed by πτύσας ('Abhorring,' i.e. expressing abhorrence of, cp. 1. 653) as well as by παπτήνας, ='Glaring wildly upon.' 1232. It is not clear whether Aristotle means to find fault with this when he says that Knowingly to intend evil, and not perform it, is at once abominable and without tragic interest;' διόπερ οὐδεὶς ποιεῖ ὁμοίως, εἰ μὴ ὀλιγάκις, οἷον ἐν Ἀντιγόνῃ τὸν Κρέοντα ὁ Αἵμων, Poet. 1453 b. But he clearly had not anticipated the refinement of the Scholiast and some modern critics, who think that Haemon only meditated suicide, and that his action is misunderstood by the messenger who reports the circumstance. Cp. supr. 751.

1231. mvp-comment-696-2 ξίφους Seyffert thinks that the Laurentian reading points to βέλους with ξίφους as a gloss. But although the generic word is used in Aj. 658, τόδ' ἔγχος τοὐμόν, ἔχθιστον βελῶν, it would be out of place here.

1233. mvp-comment-697-1 ξίφους διπλοῦς κνώδοντας Probably, the double-hilted sword.

1235. mvp-comment-698-1 ἐπενταθείς 'Stretching himself over it, i. e. Falling upon his sword.

1236-1237. mvp-comment-699-1 He clung to the maiden, enfolding her in his slackening arm. The construction of ἐς .. ἀγκῶνα is as if λαμβάνει, or some such verb, were to follow. 6

1236. mvp-comment-700-1 ἤρεισε.. μέσσον Drove the blade right into his side. See on O. C. 1595. Essay on Language § 51. p. 85.

1238. mvp-comment-701-1 πνοήν, which the Scholiast read, is at once a harder reading than ῥοήν, and harmonizes better with the context. And panting hard, he cast on her pale cheek sharp breath of gory dew.' Cp. Aesch. Ag. 1388: Essay on Language § 10. p. 17.

1241. mvp-comment-702-1 εἰν ῞Αιδου δόμοις The particle γε, which Heath introduced, reading ἔν γ', is defended by Seyffert: Apud inferos saltem, inquit poeta, nactus est Haemon nuptias rite confectas, quarum vivus expers fuit: in complexu tenet mortuam mortuus (v. 1235, sq.). But iv, the reading of L², is supported by the other Epic forms which occur in the play. See Introd., and cp. the Homeric καὶ εἰν Ἀίδαο δόμοισι.

1244-1245. mvp-comment-703-1 Cp. the silent exit of Jocasta, O. T. 1075, and of Deianira, Tr. 813.

1247. mvp-comment-704-1 ἐς πόλιν γόους | οὐκ ἀξιώσειν She will not deign to make public lamentation. The ellipse of ποιεῖν or some other general word (cp. 1. 577), or the imperfect construction of γύους with ἀξιώσειν, is made more easy by the introduction of στένειν in what follows.

1249. mvp-comment-705-1 πένθος is governed at once by προθήσειν and στένειν, and προθήσειν is used as in l. 216,='To appoint as a duty,' with some allusion to the other meaning of To lay out for mourning before burial.

1250. mvp-comment-706-1 γνώμης In respect of judgment. ἁμαρτάνειν is euphemistic.

1251. mvp-comment-707-1 ἐμοὶ δ᾽ οὖν Qy. ἔμοιγ' οὖν ? See the accentuation of the MS. reading.

1258. mvp-comment-708-1 μνῆμ᾽ ἐπίσημον A monument with evident tokens. The blood-stained corpse of Haemon was, as it were, a monument, on which was inscribed the record of the calamitous error of Creon. The metres of the concluding κομμός are as follows. The dochmiac rhythm prevails. a'. First strophe and antistrophe. 1261-1277=1184-1300. ںトトトㄈIトトー Five Iambic trimeters. 5-トリート! トトしに Cトトートトー 10010 レム DI 15 トトーchclcl ―トトートトーつつ 1500 「トトートトートトートトー「トトートca Cトトートトに tu a'. I, may be scanned either as diiambus, cretic, and dochmiac, or as an iambus and 2 dochmiacs; 3, two cretics; 15, dochmiac and iambic tri pody. The first strophe and antistrophe are followed by five iambic trimeters. β'. Second strophe and antistrophe. 1306-1325-1328-1346. トートトートトー (トトートトー 5 トトートトートート The intervention of the Exangelus at 1278, and the ἐκκύκλημα at 1293, are special features, which must have made this commos extraordinarily impressive. The coryphaeus chants 1257 ff., 1347 ff. The four other members of the front row interpose their remarks at intervals.

1262. mvp-comment-709-1 στερεά may be explained, either with Dindorf, (1) Propter duram et inexorabilem Creontis mentem, = Stubborn, by hypallage for στερεῶν φρενῶν ἁμαρτήματα, or more simply (2) as Pindar speaks of στερεαὶ ὀδυναί, = * Hard to endure.' The first (1) is best.

1265. mvp-comment-710-1 A confusion of ὤμοι ἐμῶν βουλευμάτων, ὡς ἄνολβα, and ὤμοι ἐγὼ ἄνολβος τῶν ἐμῶν βουλευμάτων. Ε. on L. pp. 17, 67.

1266. mvp-comment-711-1 νέῳ ξὺν μόρῳ By a strange doom.

1268. mvp-comment-712-1 ἀπελύθης Thou wast cut off. The word has some something of the notion of Shuffling off this mortal coil. Cp. 559.

1273. mvp-comment-713-1 θεὸς .. ἔπαισεν A God held and smote me with mighty force. ἔχων is almost pleonastic, and μέγα βάρος adverbial. But there is some difficulty in the construction of ἐν ἐμῷ κάρᾳ with ἔπαισεν. Qy. μέγα βάρος πεσών? As the words stand, the whole expression μέγα .. ἔπαισεν must be taken as = ἐνήλατο.

1274. mvp-comment-714-1 ἐν δ᾽ ἔσεισεν This use of language (implying 'furious driving') recurs in Plut. Phoc. 23, ἐνσείειν τὴν πόλιν εἰς πόλεμον. A similar expression occurs in El. 737. See also Eur. Or. 255.

1275. mvp-comment-715-1 λακπάτητον is proleptic. Overturning and trampling upon.' 1277. ὡς is to be construed with ἔοικας ἥκειν, which is postponed to the participle, as in Phil. 971, πρὸς κακῶν δ᾽ ἀνδρῶν μαθὼν ἔοικας ἥκειν αἰσχρά: and the meaning is, O master, how truly thou wouldst seem, having at τέθνηκε Α. once in hand and also in possession, to have come hither bearing one load of evil in thine arms, while there is another burden which thou wilt quickly behold within the palace. The address, ὦ δέσποτα, suggests the words ἔχων τε καὶ κεκτημένος (Creon is lord 'of dire mischance'), in which there is the distinction afterwards adopted in philosophy between ἕξις and κτῆσις.

1280. mvp-comment-716-1 By an attraction from ἔοικας, ἥκειν ὀψόμενος, or ἥκων ὄψεσθαι, is changed to ἥκειν καὶ ὄψεσθαι. Cp. Ο. Τ. 413.

1281. mvp-comment-717-1 And what worse evil is there? or what more of evil?' Some would read τί δ᾽ ἔστιν; ἢ κάκιον αὖ κακῶν ἔτι;

1282. mvp-comment-718-1 παμμήτωρ The royal mother. For this use of παν in composition, see Essay on Language § 55. p. 101; and cp. O. Τ. 930, παντελὴς δάμαρ.

1284. mvp-comment-719-1 δυσκάθαρτος Ἅιδου λιμήν] O harbour of Hades, hard to cleanse; i. e. Choked with the dead. Cp. Hell has enlarged herself, and opened her mouth without measure.'

1289-1292. mvp-comment-720-1 What new thing dost thou tell me? that the slaughter of a wife is heaped upon the previous ruin?' ὦ παῖ is probably a corruption of alaî, suggested by the general thought that Creon is lamenting for his son.

1293. mvp-comment-721-1 The dead body of Eurydice is disclosed by an ἐκκύκλημα. This line is what ancient commentators called παρεπιγραφή, i. e. an implicit stagedirection.

1296. mvp-comment-722-1 τίς ἄρα .. περιμένει; The same fearful looking for of further woe is still more finely given in the OО. Т. 1456, 7, οὐ γὰρ ἂν | θνήσκων ἐσώθην, μὴ πί τῳ δείνῳ κακ.

1301. mvp-comment-723-1 ἡ δέ δέ opposes the case of Eurydice to that of Haemon, whose dead body is in the arms of Creon.

1301. mvp-comment-723-2 ὀξύθηκτος Infuriated (ὀργῇ χρω μένη, Ο. Τ. 1241). Cp. Aesch. S. c. T. 715, τεθηγμένον τοί μ᾽ οὐκ ἀπαμβλυνεῖς λόγῳ. The Scholion, ὀξεῖαν λαβούσα πληγήν, seems to imply a v. τ. ὀξύπληκτος (or ὀξύδηκτος, a vox nihili), which, however, gives a poorer sense.

1301. mvp-comment-723-3 ἥδε Pointing to the corpse, which has just been rolled into view by the ἐκκύκλημα.

1301. mvp-comment-723-4 βωμία At, or on the altar,' as in Eur. Suppl. 93, μητέρα γεραίαν βωμίαν ἐφημένην. Cp. Tr. 904, where Deianira, before her suicide, falls on the altar, βωμοῖσι προσπίπτουσα.

1301. mvp-comment-723-5 †πέριξ, if not spurious, must be explained as an epexegesis of βωμία = περιπετής. No satisfactory emendation has been proposed. Arndt suggested ἡ δ' ὀξυθήκτῳ βωμία περὶ ξίφει. Others, reading πτέρυξ, suppose the Exangelus to display the altar-knife which had given the wound. See L. and S. s. v.

1301. mvp-comment-723-6 πτέρυξ, 11. 5.

1302. mvp-comment-724-1 λύει κελαινὰ βλέφαρα Relaxes her darkened eye. λύειν is used here as in λῦσε δὲ γυῖα and the like expressions in Homer. κελαινά might quite well be used proleptically = σκοτεινά = ἐν σκότῳ. But this, like other words of colour in Sophocles, has usually a picturesque force, and here is probably intended to suggest the darkness of passionate grief and despair which oppressed her eyes in their last looks before the final darkness of death.

1303. mvp-comment-725-1 It has been suggested that the λέχος of Megareus and Haemon is the place which received each of them in death. Euripides speaks of Menoeceus, who flung himself into the serpent's lair, σηκὸν ἐς μελαμβαθῆ δράκοντος δράκοντος (Phoen. 1017), as θαλάμαις .. σφαγέντα VOL. I. 00 (ib. 938 ff.). If Megareus is Menoeceus, as would appear from Aesch. S. c. T. 474 ff., and if the body was left in the deep cavern where it lay. Eurydice may speak of this as at once her son's grave and bride-bed (for he was ἠθεος): and as κλεινόν, because earning him his country's gratitude. And although Haemon was not buried in the cell where he died, the word borrowed from the preceding clause may be less exact in its application to him. Bothe's conj. λάχος is accepted by Dindorf.

1304-1305. mvp-comment-726-1 λοίσθιον δὲ . . παιδοκτόνῳ And lastly uttering a strain of calamitous import against thee, the slayer of thy children. The expression signifies rather a prophecy than a mere imprecation of woe.

1307. mvp-comment-727-1 ἀνέπταν φόβῳ I am startled with dread. The metaphor is taken from a frightened bird.

1311. mvp-comment-728-1 συγκέκραμαι See Essay on Language pp. 102, 105.

1312-1313. mvp-comment-729-1 τῶνδε κἀκείνων.. μόρων The deaths of Haemon and Megareus.

1313. mvp-comment-730-1 ἐπεσκήπτου Thou wast accused. The active of ἐπισκήπτω in this sense, although rare, occurs in Plat. Theaet. 145 C, Aesch. c. Timarch. p. 142, and the passive appears again in Plat. Legg. 11. 937 Β, ἐὰν ἐπισκηφθῇ τὰ ψευδή μαρτυρῆσαι. vom. p. m. Vat. 1328. KP. om. Vat. 1329. μόρων L. μώρων C1. 1330.

1314. mvp-comment-731-1 κἀπελύσατο The aorist has a distinctly middle force, different from ἀπελύθης above, l. 1268 . 'How did she effect her own release in bloody death? This verse may possibly have been spoken by the chorus. It somewhat breaks the flow of Creon's passion.

1316. mvp-comment-732-1 ὀξυκώκυτον She heard not only the words of the messenger (1. 1183), but the cry which was raised in the house, after they had been spoken. This must be supposed to have followed l. 1175.

1318. mvp-comment-733-1 ἐμᾶς .. ἐξ αἰτίας Away from blame to me; i.e. So as to exonerate ταῦτα] τ with gl. ταῦτα Α. me. Cp. 1. 614.

1325. mvp-comment-734-1 ἢ μηδένα i.e. ἢ τὸν μὴ ὄντα. Ср. О. Т. 1019, and note.

1326. mvp-comment-735-1 κέρδη παραινεῖς Viz. in saying ἄγετέ μ' ἐκποδών, Cp. Ο. Τ. 1512. For the plural κέρδη, cp. О. С. 92, Phil. 921.

1327. mvp-comment-736-1 A general aphorism.

1329. mvp-comment-737-1 κάλλιστα The adverb is emphatic, and has the force of a predicate. Let that last doom appear, which of all coming upon me has the highest glory of bringing me the end of days. Not one doom but many have fallen upon Creon. But of all that can come upon him, death is the lightest and the best.

1329. mvp-comment-737-2 ἆμαρ ἀλλ᾿ L.

1329. mvp-comment-737-3 εἰσίδω ἐσίδω Vat. α ἐξ Vat.

1335. mvp-comment-738-1 ὅτοισι χρὴ μέλειν The Fates and the Gods below.

1336. mvp-comment-739-1 The middle voice of ἐράω is known to exist (L. and S. s. v.), and may have been used by Sophocles with a pathetic force. Essay on Language § 31. p. 52. This seems more probable than retaining μέν from the later MSS, which has no force, or reading τοιαῦτα or γ' ἅπαντα for ταῦτα. ἐρῶμεν, plur. for sing., can hardly stand with the singular following in the same line.

1336. mvp-comment-739-2 συγκατηυξάμην 'I summed up in my prayer.

1337. mvp-comment-740-1 The rationalism of the day ap. pears in this advice of the chorus, as afterwards in the impiety of Jocasta.

1341. mvp-comment-741-1 σε τ᾿ αὐτάν It is unnecessary to change αὐτάν, which has a natural and pathetic emphasis. He has been the death even of the mother as well as of the son, αὐτήν τε κατέκτεινε καὶ τὸν παῖδα.

1342. mvp-comment-742-1 πρὸς πότερον ἴδω i. e. Whether at Haemon or Eurydice. The words that follow are suggested by the general notion of distraction which is here expressed. The words in L etc.

1342. mvp-comment-742-2 παῖ καὶ θῶ (= 'Which way also I shall order them'), are clearly a corruption of πᾷ κλιθῶ, which, however, was probably a gloss. For if πάντα γάρ is dropped instead, the asyndeton of λέχρια, κ.τ.λ., is very harsh.

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Commentary on lines 1201–1350

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Χορός

τί τοῦτ᾽ ἂν εἰκάσειας; ἢ γυνὴ πάλιν φρούδη, πρὶν εἰπεῖν ἐσθλὸν ἢ κακὸν λόγον.

Χορός οὐκ οἶδ᾽· ἔμοι γ᾽ οὖν ἥ τ᾽ ἄγαν σιγὴ βαρὺ δοκεῖ προσεῖναι, χἡ μάτην πολλὴ βοή. 1245

Χορός

καὶ μὴν ὅδ᾽ ἄναξ αὐτὸς ἐφήκει 1250 μνῆμ᾽ ἐπίσημον διὰ χειρὸς ἔχων, εἰ θέμις εἰπεῖν, οὐκ ἀλλοτρίαν ἄτην, ἀλλ᾽ αὐτὸς ἁμαρτών.

Κρέων a

Χορός

οἴμ᾽, ὡς ἔοικας ὀψὲ τὴν δίκην ἰδεῖν.

Ἐξάγγελος

ὦ δέσποθ᾽, ὡς ἔχων τε καὶ κεκτημένος, τὰ μὲν πρὸ χειρῶν τάδε 5 φέρων, τὰ δ᾽ ἐν δόμοις ἔοικας ἥκειν καὶ τάχ᾽ ὄψεσθαι κακά.

Κρέων

τί δ᾽ ἔστιν αὖ κάκιον ἐκ κακῶν ἔτι;

Ἐξάγγελος γυνὴ τέθνηκε, τοῦδε 6 παμμήτωρ νεκροῦ, 1275 δύστηνος, ἄρτι νεοτόμοισι πλήγμασιν.

Κρέων a

Ἐξάγγελος

ὁρᾷν πάρεστιν. οὐ γὰρ ἐν μυχοῖς ἔτι.

Κρέων b

Κρέων c

αἰαῖ, αἰαῖ. ἀνέπταν φόβῳ. τί μ᾽ οὐκ ἀνταίαν 1300 ἔπαισέν τις ἀμφιθήκτῳ ξίφει; δείλαιος ἐγὼ, αἰαῖ· δειλαίᾳ δὲ συγκέκραμαι δύᾳ.

Ἐξάγγελος ὥς αἰτίαν γε τῶνδε κἀκείνων ἔχων πρὸς τῆς θανούσης τῆσδ᾽ ἐπεσκήπτου μόρων. 1305

Κρέων ποίῳ δὲ κἀπελύσατ᾽ ἐν φοναῖς τρόπῳ;

Ἐξάγγελος παίσασ᾽ ὑφ᾽ ἧπαρ αὐτόχειρ αὑτὴν, ὅπως παιδὸς τόδ᾽ ἤσθετ᾽ ὀξυκώκυτον πάθος.

Κρέων d

Χορός κέρδη παραινεῖς, εἴ τι κέρδος ἐν κακοῖς· βράχιστα γὰρ κράτιστα τἀν ποσὶν κακά.

Κρέων c

ἴτω, ἴτω, φανήτω μόρων ὁ κάλλιστ᾽ ἐμῶν 1320 μοὶ τερμίαν ἄγων ἁμέραν ὕπατος· ἴτω, ἴτω, ὅπως μηκέτ᾽ ἆμαρ ἄλλ᾽ εἰσίδω.

Ἐξάγγελος

μέλλοντα ταῦτα. τῶν προκειμένων τι χρὴ πράσσειν. μέλει γὰρ τῶνδ᾽ 12 ὅτοισι χρὴ μέλειν. 1325

Κρέων ἀλλ᾽ ὧν ἐρῶ μὲν, ταῦτα συγκατευξάμην.

Ἐξάγγελος μὴ νῦν προσεύχου μηδέν· ὡς πεπρωμένης οὐκ ἔστι θνητοῖς ξυμφορᾶς ἀπαλλαγή.

Κρέων d

Χορός

Χορός τί τοῦτ᾽ ἂν εἰκάσειας; ἡ γυνὴ πάλιν φρούδη, πρὶν εἰπεῖν ἐσθλὸν ἢ κακὸν λόγον.

Χορός οὐκ οἶδ᾽· ἐμοὶ δ᾽ οὖν ἥ τ’ ἄγαν σιγὴ βαρὺ δοκεῖ προσεῖναι χἠ μάτην πολλὴ βοή. 1195

Χορός καὶ μὴν ὅδ᾽ ἄναξ αὐτὸς ἐφήκει 1200 μνῆμ᾽ ἐπίσημον διὰ χειρὸς ἔχων, εἰ θέμις εἰπεῖν, οὐκ ἀλλοτρίαν ἄτην, ἀλλ᾽ αὐτὸς ἁμαρτών.

Χορός οἴμ᾽, ὡς ἔοικας ὀψὲ τὴν δίκην ἰδεῖν.

Ἐξάγγελος ὦ δέσποθ᾽, ὡς ἔχων τε καὶ κεκτημένος, τὰ μὲν πρὸ χειρῶν τάδε φέρων, τὰ δ᾽ ἐν δόμοις 1220 ἔοικας ἥκειν καὶ τάχ᾽ ὄψεσθαι κακά.

Κρέων τί δ᾽ ἔστιν αὖ κάκιον, ἢ κακῶν ἔτι;

Ἐξάγγελος γυνὴ τέθνηκε, τοῦδε παμμήτωρ νεκροῦ, δύστηνος, ἄρτι νεοτόμοισι πλήγμασιν.

Κρέων 1 ἰὼ 1225

Χορός ὁρᾶν πάρεστιν· οὐ γὰρ ἐν μυχοῖς ἔτι.

Κρέων 3 αἰαῖ, αἰαῖ, 1245 ἀνέπταν φόβῳ. τί μ’ οὐκ ἀνταίαν ἔπαισέν τις ἀμφιθήκτῳ ξίφει; δείλαιος ἐγώ, φεῦ φεῦ, δειλαίᾳ δὲ συγκέκραμαι δύᾳ.

Ἐξάγγελος ὡς αἰτίαν γε τῶνδε κἀκείνων ἔχων 1250 πρὸς τῆς θανούσης τῆσδ᾽ ἐπεσκήπτου μόρων.

Κρέων ποίῳ δὲ κἀπελύσατ᾽ ἐν φοναῖς τρόπῳ;

Ἐξάγγελος παίσασ᾽ ὑφ᾽ ἧπαρ αὐτόχειρ αὑτήν, ὅπως παιδὸς τόδ᾽ ᾔσθετ᾽ ὀξυκώκυτον πάθος.

Κρέων 4

Χορός κέρδη παραινεῖς, εἴ τι κέρδος ἐν κακοῖς· βράχιστα γὰρ κράτιστα τἀν ποσὶν κακά.

Κρέων 3

ἴτω, ἴτω, φανήτω μόρων ὁ κάλλιστ᾽ ἐμῶν ἐμοὶ τερμίαν ἄγων ἁμέραν 1265 ὕπατος· ἴτω, ἴτω, ὅπως μηκέτ᾽ ἆμαρ ἄλλ᾽ εἰσίδω.

Χορός μέλλοντα ταῦτα. τῶν προκειμένων τι χρὴ πράσσειν· μέλει γὰρ τῶνδ᾽ ὅτοισι χρὴ μέλειν.

Κρέων ἀλλ' ὧν ἐρῶμεν, ταῦτα συγκατηυξάμην. 1270

Χορός μὴ νῦν προσεύχου μηδέν· ὡς πεπρωμένης οὐκ ἔστι θνητοῖς ξυμφορᾶς ἀπαλλαγή.

Κρέων 4

Χορός

τί τοῦτ᾽ ἂν εἰκάσειας; ἡ γυνὴ πάλιν 1220 φρούδη, πρὶν εἰπεῖν ἐσθλὸν ἢ κακὸν λόγον.

Χορός οὐκ οἶδ᾽· ἔμοιγ᾽ οὖν ἥ τ’ ἄγαν σιγὴ βαρὺ δοκεῖ προσεῖναι, χ᾽ ἡ μάτην πολλὴ βοή.

Χορός

καὶ μὴν ὅδ᾽ ἄναξ αὐτὸς ἐφήκει, μνῆμ᾽ ἐπίσημον διὰ χειρὸς ἔχων, εἰ θέμις εἰπεῖν, οὐκ ἀλλοτρίαν 1235 ἄτην, ἀλλ᾽ αὐτὸς ἁμαρτών.

Κρέων 1

Χορός

ὅμως ἔοικας ὀψὲ τὴν δίκην ἰδεῖν. 1245

Ἐξάγγελος

ὦ δέσποθ᾽, ὅσσ᾽ ἔχων τε καὶ κεκτημένος ἔοικας ἥκων κ᾽ ἐνθάδ᾽ ὄψεσθαι κακά!

Κρέων

τί δ᾽ ἔστιν αὖ κάκιον ἐκ κακῶν ἔτι;

Ἐξάγγελος γυνὴ τέθνηκε, τοῦδε παμμήτωρ νεκροῦ 1255 δύστηνος, ἄρτι νεοτόμοισι πλήγμασιν.

Κρέων 1

Ἐξάγγελος

ὁρᾷν πάρεστιν· οὐ γὰρ ἐν μυχοῖς ἔτι. 1265

Κρέων 2

Κρέων 3

αἶ, αἶ, ἀνέπταν φόβῳ! Τί μ᾽ οὐκ ἀνταίαν ἔπαισέν τις ἀμφιθήκτῳ ξίφει; δείλαιος δ᾽ ἐγὼ, φεῦ, φεῦ, δειλαίᾳ 1280 ξυγκέκραμαι δύᾳ!

Ἐξάγγελος ὡς αἰτίαν γε τῶνδε κἀκείνων ἔχων πρὸς τῆς θανούσης τῆσδ᾽ ἐπεσκήπτου μόρων.

Κρέων ποίῳ δὲ κἀπελύσατ᾽ ἐμφανῶς τρόπῳ;

Ἐξάγγελος παίσασ᾽ ὑφ᾽ ἧπαρ αὐτόχειρ αὑτὴν, ὅπως 1285 παιδὸς τόδ᾽ ᾔσθετ᾽ ὀξυκώκυτον πάθος.

Κρέων 4

τί τοῦτ᾽ ἂν εἰκάσειας; ἢ γυνὴ πάλιν

φρούδη, πρὶν εἰπεῖν ἐσθλὸν ἢ κακὸν λόγον.

Χορός

οὐκ οἶδ᾽· ἔμοι γ᾽ οὖν ἥ τ᾽ ἄγαν σιγὴ βαρὺ

δοκεῖ προσεῖναι, χἡ μάτην πολλὴ βοή.
1245

καὶ μὴν ὅδ᾽ ἄναξ αὐτὸς ἐφήκει
1250

μνῆμ᾽ ἐπίσημον διὰ χειρὸς ἔχων,

εἰ θέμις εἰπεῖν, οὐκ ἀλλοτρίαν

ἄτην, ἀλλ᾽ αὐτὸς ἁμαρτών.

Κρέων

a

ὦ δέσποθ᾽, ὡς ἔχων τε καὶ κεκτημένος,

τὰ μὲν πρὸ χειρῶν τάδε ⁵ φέρων, τὰ δ᾽ ἐν δόμοις

ἔοικας ἥκειν καὶ τάχ᾽ ὄψεσθαι κακά.

Ἐξάγγελος

γυνὴ τέθνηκε, τοῦδε ⁶ παμμήτωρ νεκροῦ,
1275

δύστηνος, ἄρτι νεοτόμοισι πλήγμασιν.

Κρέων

a

Κρέων

b

Κρέων

c

αἰαῖ, αἰαῖ.

ἀνέπταν φόβῳ. τί μ᾽ οὐκ ἀνταίαν
1300

ἔπαισέν τις ἀμφιθήκτῳ ξίφει;

δείλαιος ἐγὼ, αἰαῖ·

δειλαίᾳ δὲ συγκέκραμαι δύᾳ.

Ἐξάγγελος

ὥς αἰτίαν γε τῶνδε κἀκείνων ἔχων

πρὸς τῆς θανούσης τῆσδ᾽ ἐπεσκήπτου μόρων.
1305

Κρέων

ποίῳ δὲ κἀπελύσατ᾽ ἐν φοναῖς τρόπῳ;

Ἐξάγγελος

παίσασ᾽ ὑφ᾽ ἧπαρ αὐτόχειρ αὑτὴν, ὅπως

παιδὸς τόδ᾽ ἤσθετ᾽ ὀξυκώκυτον πάθος.

Κρέων

d

Χορός

κέρδη παραινεῖς, εἴ τι κέρδος ἐν κακοῖς·

βράχιστα γὰρ κράτιστα τἀν ποσὶν κακά.

Κρέων

c

ἴτω, ἴτω,

φανήτω μόρων ὁ κάλλιστ᾽ ἐμῶν
1320

μοὶ τερμίαν ἄγων ἁμέραν

ὕπατος· ἴτω, ἴτω,

ὅπως μηκέτ᾽ ἆμαρ ἄλλ᾽ εἰσίδω.

μέλλοντα ταῦτα. τῶν προκειμένων τι χρὴ

πράσσειν. μέλει γὰρ τῶνδ᾽ ¹² ὅτοισι χρὴ μέλειν.
1325

Κρέων

ἀλλ᾽ ὧν ἐρῶ μὲν, ταῦτα συγκατευξάμην.

Ἐξάγγελος

μὴ νῦν προσεύχου μηδέν· ὡς πεπρωμένης

οὐκ ἔστι θνητοῖς ξυμφορᾶς ἀπαλλαγή.

Κρέων

d

Χορός

τί τοῦτ᾽ ἂν εἰκάσειας; ἡ γυνὴ πάλιν

φρούδη, πρὶν εἰπεῖν ἐσθλὸν ἢ κακὸν λόγον.

Χορός

οὐκ οἶδ᾽· ἐμοὶ δ᾽ οὖν ἥ τ’ ἄγαν σιγὴ βαρὺ

δοκεῖ προσεῖναι χἠ μάτην πολλὴ βοή.
1195

Χορός

καὶ μὴν ὅδ᾽ ἄναξ αὐτὸς ἐφήκει
1200

μνῆμ᾽ ἐπίσημον διὰ χειρὸς ἔχων,

εἰ θέμις εἰπεῖν, οὐκ ἀλλοτρίαν

ἄτην, ἀλλ᾽ αὐτὸς ἁμαρτών.

Χορός

οἴμ᾽, ὡς ἔοικας ὀψὲ τὴν δίκην ἰδεῖν.

Ἐξάγγελος

ὦ δέσποθ᾽, ὡς ἔχων τε καὶ κεκτημένος,

τὰ μὲν πρὸ χειρῶν τάδε φέρων, τὰ δ᾽ ἐν δόμοις
1220

ἔοικας ἥκειν καὶ τάχ᾽ ὄψεσθαι κακά.

Κρέων

τί δ᾽ ἔστιν αὖ κάκιον, ἢ κακῶν ἔτι;

Ἐξάγγελος

γυνὴ τέθνηκε, τοῦδε παμμήτωρ νεκροῦ,

δύστηνος, ἄρτι νεοτόμοισι πλήγμασιν.

Κρέων

1

ἰὼ
1225

Χορός

ὁρᾶν πάρεστιν· οὐ γὰρ ἐν μυχοῖς ἔτι.

Κρέων

3

αἰαῖ, αἰαῖ,
1245

ἀνέπταν φόβῳ. τί μ’ οὐκ ἀνταίαν

ἔπαισέν τις ἀμφιθήκτῳ ξίφει;

δείλαιος ἐγώ, φεῦ φεῦ,

δειλαίᾳ δὲ συγκέκραμαι δύᾳ.

Ἐξάγγελος

ὡς αἰτίαν γε τῶνδε κἀκείνων ἔχων
1250

πρὸς τῆς θανούσης τῆσδ᾽ ἐπεσκήπτου μόρων.

Κρέων

ποίῳ δὲ κἀπελύσατ᾽ ἐν φοναῖς τρόπῳ;

Ἐξάγγελος

παίσασ᾽ ὑφ᾽ ἧπαρ αὐτόχειρ αὑτήν, ὅπως

παιδὸς τόδ᾽ ᾔσθετ᾽ ὀξυκώκυτον πάθος.

Κρέων

4

Χορός

κέρδη παραινεῖς, εἴ τι κέρδος ἐν κακοῖς·

βράχιστα γὰρ κράτιστα τἀν ποσὶν κακά.

Κρέων

3

ἴτω, ἴτω,

φανήτω μόρων ὁ κάλλιστ᾽ ἐμῶν

ἐμοὶ τερμίαν ἄγων ἁμέραν
1265

ὕπατος· ἴτω, ἴτω,

ὅπως μηκέτ᾽ ἆμαρ ἄλλ᾽ εἰσίδω.

Χορός

μέλλοντα ταῦτα. τῶν προκειμένων τι χρὴ

πράσσειν· μέλει γὰρ τῶνδ᾽ ὅτοισι χρὴ μέλειν.

Κρέων

ἀλλ' ὧν ἐρῶμεν, ταῦτα συγκατηυξάμην.
1270

Χορός

μὴ νῦν προσεύχου μηδέν· ὡς πεπρωμένης

οὐκ ἔστι θνητοῖς ξυμφορᾶς ἀπαλλαγή.

Κρέων

4

τί τοῦτ᾽ ἂν εἰκάσειας; ἡ γυνὴ πάλιν
1220

φρούδη, πρὶν εἰπεῖν ἐσθλὸν ἢ κακὸν λόγον.

Χορός

οὐκ οἶδ᾽· ἔμοιγ᾽ οὖν ἥ τ’ ἄγαν σιγὴ βαρὺ

δοκεῖ προσεῖναι, χ᾽ ἡ μάτην πολλὴ βοή.

καὶ μὴν ὅδ᾽ ἄναξ αὐτὸς ἐφήκει,

μνῆμ᾽ ἐπίσημον διὰ χειρὸς ἔχων,

εἰ θέμις εἰπεῖν, οὐκ ἀλλοτρίαν
1235

ἄτην, ἀλλ᾽ αὐτὸς ἁμαρτών.

Κρέων

1

ὅμως ἔοικας ὀψὲ τὴν δίκην ἰδεῖν.
1245

ὦ δέσποθ᾽, ὅσσ᾽ ἔχων τε καὶ κεκτημένος

ἔοικας ἥκων κ᾽ ἐνθάδ᾽ ὄψεσθαι κακά!

Ἐξάγγελος

γυνὴ τέθνηκε, τοῦδε παμμήτωρ νεκροῦ
1255

δύστηνος, ἄρτι νεοτόμοισι πλήγμασιν.

Κρέων

1

ὁρᾷν πάρεστιν· οὐ γὰρ ἐν μυχοῖς ἔτι.
1265

Κρέων

2

Κρέων

3

αἶ, αἶ,

ἀνέπταν φόβῳ! Τί μ᾽ οὐκ ἀνταίαν

ἔπαισέν τις ἀμφιθήκτῳ ξίφει;

δείλαιος δ᾽ ἐγὼ, φεῦ, φεῦ, δειλαίᾳ
1280

ξυγκέκραμαι δύᾳ!

Ἐξάγγελος

ὡς αἰτίαν γε τῶνδε κἀκείνων ἔχων

πρὸς τῆς θανούσης τῆσδ᾽ ἐπεσκήπτου μόρων.

Κρέων

ποίῳ δὲ κἀπελύσατ᾽ ἐμφανῶς τρόπῳ;

Ἐξάγγελος

παίσασ᾽ ὑφ᾽ ἧπαρ αὐτόχειρ αὑτὴν, ὅπως
1285

παιδὸς τόδ᾽ ᾔσθετ᾽ ὀξυκώκυτον πάθος.

Κρέων

4

Χορός

κέρδη παραινεῖς, εἴ τι κέρδος ἐν κακοῖς.

Κρέων

3

ἴτω,

φανήτω μόρων ὁ κάλλιστ᾽ ἐμῶν
1295

ἐμοὶ τερμίαν ἄγων ἁμέραν

ὕπατος! ἴτω, ἴτω, ὅπως μηκέτ᾽ ἆ-

μαρ ἄλλ᾽ εἰσίδω!

Χορός

μέλλοντα ταῦτα· τῶν προκειμένων τι χρὴ

πράσσειν· μέλει γὰρ τῶνδ᾽, ὅτοισι χρὴ μέλειν.
1300

Κρέων

ἀλλ᾽, ὧν ἐρῶμεν, ταῦτα συγκαθέξομεν.

Χορός

μὴ νῦν προσεύχου μηδέν· ὡς πεπρωμένης

οὐκ ἔστι θνητοῖς ξυμφορᾶς ἀπαλλαγή.

Χορός

βράχιστα γὰρ κράτιστα τἀν ποσὶν κακά. —
1310

τί τοῦτ᾽ ἂν εἰκάσειας; ἡ γυνὴ πάλιν

φρούδη, πρὶν εἰπεῖν ἐσθλὸν ἢ κακὸν λόγον.
1245

Χορός

οὐκ οἶδ᾽· ἐμοὶ δ᾽ οὖν ἥ τ᾿ ἄγαν σιγὴ βαρὺ

δοκεῖ προσεῖναι χἠ μάτην πολλὴ βοή.

καὶ μὴν ὅδ᾽ ἄναξ αὐτὸς ἐφήκει

μνῆμ᾽ ἐπίσημον διὰ χειρὸς ἔχων,

εἰ θέμις εἰπεῖν, οὐκ ἀλλοτρίαν

ἄτην, ἀλλ᾽ αὐτὸς ἁμαρτών.
1260

Κρέων
α

οἴμ᾿ ὡς ἔοικας ὀψὲ τὴν δίκην ἰδεῖν.
1270

ὦ δέσποθ', ὡς, ἔχων τε καὶ κεκτημένος,

τὰ μὲν πρὸ χειρῶν τάδε φέρων, τὰ δ᾽ ἐν δόμοις

ἔοικας ἥκειν καὶ τάχ᾿ ὄψεσθαι κακά.
1280

Ἐξάγγελος

γυνὴ τέθνηκε, τοῦδε παμμήτωρ νεκροῦ,

δύστηνος, ἄρτι νεοτόμοισι πλήγμασιν.

Κρέων
α

Κρέων
β

αἰαῖ αἰαῖ,

ἀνέπταν φόβῳ. τί μ' οὐκ ἀνταίαν

ἔπαισέν τις ἀμφιθήκτῳ ξίφει;

δείλαιος ἐγώ, *αἰαῖ,
1310

δειλαίᾳ δὲ συγκέκραμαι δύᾳ.

Ἐξάγγελος

ὡς αἰτίαν γε τῶνδε κἀκείνων ἔχων

πρὸς τῆς θανούσης τῆσδ᾽ ἐπεσκήπτου μόρων.