τοῦ πρὶν θανόντος Μεγαρέως κλεινὸν λέχος,
Antigone. Sophocles. ed. Lewis Campbell. Oxford. 1879.
Table of Contents
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Current edition Experimental
Greek (Lewis Campbell, 1879) (OCR draft) (Greek) (Greek (Lewis Campbell, 1879))
Provisional text from uncorrected OCR; expect errors.
Editions (10)
Greek (L. Benloew, 1858) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (L. Benloew, 1858)) — 1303 focus
δειλαίᾳ δὲ συγκέκραμαι δύᾳ.
Greek (F. H. Bothe, 1806) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (F. H. Bothe, 1806)) — 1303 focus
οὐκ ἔστι θνητοῖς ξυμφορᾶς ἀπαλλαγή.
Greek (A. Colonna, 1978) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (A. Colonna, 1978)) — 1303 focus
τοῦ πρὶν θανόντος Μεγαρέως κενὸν λέχος,
Greek (A. Dain, 1955) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (A. Dain, 1955)) — 1303.mvp-line-1281 focus
τοῦ πρὶν θανόντος Μεγαρέως κλεινὸν λάχος,
Greek (R. D. Dawe, 1979) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (R. D. Dawe, 1979)) — 1303 focus
τοῦ πρὶν θανόντος Μεγαρέως κλεινὸν λάχος,
Greek (G. Hermann, 1830) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (G. Hermann, 1830)) — 1303 focus
ἐγὼ γάρ σ᾽ , ἐγώ σ᾽ ἕκανον, ὢ μέλεος,
Greek (R. C. Jebb, 1906) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (R. C. Jebb, 1906)) — 1303 focus
τοῦ πρὶν θανόντος Μεγαρέως κλεινὸν λάχος,
Greek (A. C. Pearson, 1924) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (A. C. Pearson, 1924)) — 1303.mvp-line-1284 focus
τοῦ πρὶν θανόντος Μεγαρέως κενὸν λέχος,
Antigone (OCR draft) Experimental (Antigone) — 1303 focus
τοῦ πρὶν θανόντος Μεγαρέως κλεινὸν λάχος,
Greek (K. Reinhardt, 1949) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (K. Reinhardt, 1949)) — 1303 focus
τοῦ πρὶν θανόντος Μεγαρέως κλεινὸν λάχος,
Translations (2)
German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review) (OCR draft) Experimental (German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review)) — 1306 focus
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
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.
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?
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.
Sie senkte selbst in ihre Brust den Stahl, sobald
Sie hier des Sohnes tiefbeweintes Loos vernahm.
1280
Kreon.
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
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
Chorus
Ah, how late you seem to see the right!
1270
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.
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
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
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
Creon
What worse suffering is still to follow upon these sufferings?
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.
Your wife is dead, true mother of that corpse, poor lady, by wounds newly cut.
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.
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
Chorus
The sight is at hand. It is no longer hidden inside.
The sight is at hand. It is no longer hidden inside.
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
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
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
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
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.
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?
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
Her own hand struck her to the heart upon learning her son’s sharply-lamented fate.
1315
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
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
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
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
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
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
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.
All that I crave was summed in that prayer.
Chorus
Then pray no more; for mortals have no release from destined misfortune.
Then pray no more; for mortals have no release from destined misfortune.
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
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
Commentary
Commentary (R. C. Jebb) (OCR draft) (Commentary (R. C. Jebb))
Commentary (Lewis Campbell, 1879) (OCR draft) (Commentary (Lewis Campbell, 1879)) focus
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.