Sophocles Antigone 135

Lewis Campbell (Translator)

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CHORUS
CHORUS. LEADER OF CHORUS. 583

Blest is the life that never tasted woe.

When once the blow

Hath fallen upon a house with Heaven-sent doom,
585

Trouble descends in ever-widening gloom

Through all the number of the tribe to flow;

As when the briny surge

That Thrace-born tempests urge
590

(The big wave ever gathering more and more)

Runs o’er the darkness of the deep,

593

And with far-searching sweep

Uprolls the storm-heap’d tangle on the shore,
595

While cliff to beaten cliff resounds with sullen roar.

The stock of Cadmus from old time, I know,

Hath woe on woe,

Age following age, the living on the dead,
600

Fresh sorrow falling on each new-ris’n head,

None freed by God from ruthless overthrow.

E’en now a smiling light

605

Was spreading to our sight

O’er one last fibre of a blasted tree,—
605

When, lo! the dust of cruel death,

Tribute of Gods beneath,

And wildering thoughts, and fate-born ecstasy,

Quench the brief gleam in dark Nonentity.

What froward will of man, O Zeus! can check thy might?
610

Not all-enfeebling sleep, nor tireless months divine,

Can touch thee, who through ageless time

Rulest mightily Olympus’ dazzling height.

This was in the beginning, and shall be

615

Now and eternally,
615

Not here or there, but everywhere,

A law of misery that shall not spare.

For Hope, that wandereth wide, comforting many a head,

Entangleth many more with glamour of desire:

Unknowing they have trode the fire.
620

Wise was the famous word of one who said,

‘Evil oft seemeth goodness to the mind

An angry God doth blind.’

Few are the days that such as he

May live untroubled of calamity.
625
626

Lo, Haemon, thy last offspring, now is come,

Lamenting haply for the maiden’s doom,

Say, is he mourning o’er her young life lost,

Fiercely indignant for his bridal crossed?

Antigone. Sophocles. Lewis Campbell (Translator). London, New York and Toronto. 1906.

Current edition Experimental

English (Lewis Campbell, 1906) (OCR draft) (English) (English (Lewis Campbell, 1906))

Provisional text from uncorrected OCR; expect errors.

Editions (12)

Greek (L. Benloew, 1858) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (L. Benloew, 1858)) — 135 focus

πυρφόρος, ὃς τότε μαινομένᾳ ξὺν ὁρμᾷ

135

Greek (A. Boeckh, 1884) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (A. Boeckh, 1884)) — 135 focus

εἶχε δ᾽ ἄλλᾳ τὰ μέν,

135

Greek (F. H. Bothe, 1806) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (F. H. Bothe, 1806)) — 135 focus

πυρφόρος, ὃς τότε μαινομένᾳ ξὺν ὁρμᾷ

135

Greek (Lewis Campbell, 1879) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (Lewis Campbell, 1879)) — 135 focus

πυρφόρος ὃς τότε μαινομένᾳ ξὺν ὁρμᾷ

135

Greek (A. Colonna, 1978) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (A. Colonna, 1978)) — 135 focus

πυρφόρος ὃς τότε μαινομένᾳ ξὺν ὁρμᾷ

135

Greek (A. Dain, 1955) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (A. Dain, 1955)) — 135.mvp-line-135 focus

πυρφόρος ὃς τότε μαινομένᾳ ξὺν ὁρμᾷ

135

Greek (R. D. Dawe, 1979) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (R. D. Dawe, 1979)) — 135 focus

πυρφόρος ὃς τότε μαινομέναι ξὺν ὁρμᾶι

135

Greek (G. Hermann, 1830) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (G. Hermann, 1830)) — 135 focus

πυρφόρος ὃς τότε μαινομένᾳ ξὺν ὁρμᾷ

135

Greek (R. C. Jebb, 1906) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (R. C. Jebb, 1906)) — 135 focus

πυρφόρος, ὃς τότε μαινομένᾳ ξὺν ὁρμᾷ 2

135

Greek (A. C. Pearson, 1924) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (A. C. Pearson, 1924)) — 135.mvp-line-135 focus

πυρφόρος ὃς τότε μαινομένᾳ ξὺν ὁρμᾷ

135

Antigone (OCR draft) Experimental (Antigone) — 135 focus

πυρφόρος, ὃς τότε μαινομένᾳ ξὺν ὁρμᾷ

135

Greek (K. Reinhardt, 1949) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (K. Reinhardt, 1949)) — 135 focus

πυρφόρος ὃς τότε μαινομέναι ξὺν ὁρμᾶι

135

Translations (10)

German (A. Boeckh, 1884) (OCR draft) Experimental (German (A. Boeckh, 1884)) — 135 focus

ISMENE

Nicht also wie es ihm und ihr sich wohlgefügt!

Spanish (J. A. Bolufer, 1921) (OCR draft) Experimental (Spanish (J. A. Bolufer, 1921)) — 135 focus

CORO

583 ¡Dichosos todos los que pasan la vida sin probar un infortunio! Porque aquellos cuya casa recibe una sacudida de los dioses, no queda calamidad que no caiga sobre toda su descendencia, al modo que cuando el oleaje, hinchado por los impetuosos vientos marinos de la Tracia, se rompe en el negro abismo del mar y revuelve desde su fondo el negro y turbulento limo y retumban con estruendo las orillas que lo rechazan. 593 Sobre las antiguas calamidades de la familia de los Labdácidas veo que caen otras que con nuevas desgracias se suceden sin cesar de una en otra generación. Algún dios aniquila esta raza, no hay remedio. Porque la esperanza que en el palacio de Edipo se fundaba ahora en su último vástago, la acaba de segar la cruenta hoz de los dioses infernales, a la vez que la demencia de la razón y la furia del ánimo. 605 Tu poder, ¡oh Júpiter!, ¿qué hombre en su arrogancia lo podrá resistir, cuando ni lo domina jamás el sueño que a todo el mundo subyuga, ni lo disipan los años que sin cesar se suceden, y siempre joven en el tiempo mantienes el reverberante esplendor del Olimpo? Al presente, en el porvenir y en el pasado regirá siempre esta ley común a todos los pueblos: «Nada ocurre en la vida humana exento de dolor.» 615 Pues, en verdad, la vagarosa esperanza que para muchos hombres es una ayuda, es para otros engaño de fútiles anhelos; pues se insinúa sin que uno lo advierta hasta que ponga el pie en el ardiente fuego. De la sabiduria sabiduría de alguien procede esta célebre máxima: El mal a veces parece bien a aquel cuya mente lleva un dios a la perdición; y pasa muy poco tiempo sin que caiga en la ruina. 626 Pero he ahi ahí a Hemón, el más joven pimpollo de tus hijos. ¿Acaso viene entristecido por la suerte de su novia Antígona, doliéndole el desencanto de sus nupcias?

Latin (F. H. Bothe, 1806) (OCR draft) Experimental (Latin (F. H. Bothe, 1806)) — 135 focus

Chorus

583 Felices, quibus malorum immune labitur aevum! Quibus enim divinitus quassatur domus, horum vita nulla vacat calamitate, ad omnem posteritatem proserpente , haud secus ac maris fluctus , si quando Boreae vehemens flatus in salsam incurrit caliginem, ab imo atram evolvit, ventis infestatam , arenam, plangoribusque percussa resonant litora.

593 Veteres Labdacidarum domus calamitates video, defunctorum immissas calamitatibus; neque aetas aetatem liberat, sed hanc quoque subvertit deorum quispiam, neque est ab acrumnis requies, Modo enim Oedipi in domo ultimae stirpi effulserat salus; tamen illam rursus demetit inferorum deüm cruenta falx, consiliique amentia, et animi furor.

605 Vim tuam, lupiter, quis hominum fastus cohibere possit, quam neque somnus , omnia domanms, domat umquam, nec cursu indefesso menses? Senii expers fulgeniis regis Olympi. splendorem ;' atque et futuro tempore; ct olim, haec lex obtinebit: nihil accidere hominibus, quod nimium iuvet, aegritudine haud permixtum. 615 Spes quidem vaga multis mortalium — fructum — sui praebet; multorum autem deludit leves cupidines, acceditque ad nihil sentientem prius quam igni ardenti pedem admoverit. Celebre dictum fertur a nescio quo sapienter prolatum: Malum aliquando videri bonum illi esse, cuius animum deus impellit ad mortem, eumque perexiguo tempore extra calamitatem versari.

626 At hicce igitur Haemon, liberorum tuorum novissimum germen, sponsae Aantiponae imminente leto contristatus, venit, pactis nuptiis frustrari impotenter dolens.

German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review) (OCR draft) Experimental (German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review)) — 134 focus

Niedergeschmettert zur dröhnenden Erde stürzt' er,

Welcher, bewehrt mit der Fackel, in trunk nem Wahnsinn,
135

In wuthathmendem Drang,

Wild herschnob mit feindlichem Sturm.

Doch es ging anders aus;

Andern beschied anderes Loos Ares, der Held, der die Bedrängten

Stürmend davontrieb.
140

English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759)) — 135 focus

Haemon

A father's will ; or, whatsoe'er we do
635

Still to hold best, and pay obedience to us ]
635

H^. My father, I am thine. Do thou command,

And I in all things shall obey. 'Tis fit

My promised nuptial rites give place to thee.

Spanish (A. G. Garbin, 1889) (OCR draft) Experimental (Spanish (A. G. Garbin, 1889)) — 135 focus

ISMENA

¡Oh, carísimo Hemón! ¡cómo tu padre te menosprecia!

German (F. Hölderlin, 1804) (OCR draft) Experimental (German (F. Hölderlin, 1804)) — 135 focus

KREON

Wohl Sohn. So auch muss in der Brust es seyn,

Dafs väterlicher Meinung alles nachgeht.
665

Darum auch wünschete zuerst der Mann

Ein fromm Geschlecht, und häuslich zu gewohnen,

Dals es mit Schaden fern hält einen Feind,

Den Freund hingegen ehrt, so wie den Vater.

Wenn aber untaugliche Kinder einer zeugt,
670

Von dem sprichst du auch wohl nichts anderes,

Als dass er Mühe nur sich selbst, und viel

Gelächter Für die Feinde sich gezeuget.

Wirf darum jezt, o Sohn, des Weibes wegen nicht

Aus Lust die Sinne weg, und denke, dass
675

Das eine frostige Umarmung wird,

Ein böses Weib beiwohnend in den Häufsern.

Auf Erden was schlägt mifslichere Beulen,

Als schlimme Freund’? Acht’ aber du das gleich

Gottlosen'! lafs das Mädchen einen frei’n
680

Beim Höllengott! denn offenbar hab’ ich

Getroffen sie, dass von der ganzen Stadt

Sieuntreu war allein; und darf jeztnichtals Lügner

Bestehen vor der Stadt, und mus sie tödten.

Mag dann sie das wegsingen bey dem Bruder.
685

Verdirbt dasEingeborne, nähr’ ich fremd Geschlecht.

Denn wer im Angehörigen nur gut ist,

Erscheint auch in der Stadt als ein Gerechter.

Wer aber übertretend den Gesezen

Gewalt will anthun, oder Herrscher meistern,
690

Von mir kann dem nicht wohl ein Lob zufallen.

Wen aber eine Stadt hat eingesezt,

Dem soll man kleines, rechtes, ungereimtes hören.

Und dieser Mann, ich glaube das, er wird

Wohl herrschen, wird auch gute Herrschaft wollen,
695

Und in der Speere Stürmen angestellt,

Wird ein gerechter Helfer der und treflich bleiben.

Denn herrnlos seyn, kein gröfser Uebel giebt es.

Denn das verderbet Städte, das empört

Die Häufser, das reifst Lüken im Speergefecht.
700

Die aber recht gerichtet sind, bei denen

Erhält die Obrigkeit die vielen Körper.

So sichre du, die eine Welt dir bilden,

Und weiche nie dem Weib’, in keinem Dinge.

Denn mehr gilt’s, wmufs es seyn, mit einem Mann zu fallen,
705

Dafs nimmer 'wir genannt seyn hinter Weibern!

English (Sir Richard Jebb1, 1904) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Sir Richard Jebb1, 1904)) — 135 focus

Chorus

583 Blest are they whose days have not tasted of evil. For when a house hath once been shaken from heaven, there the curse fails nevermore, passing from life to life of the race; even as, when the surge is driven over the darkness of the deep by the fierce breath of 590 Thracian sea-winds, it rolls up the black sand from the depths, and there is a sullen roar from wind-vexed headlands that front the blows of the storm.

593 I see that from olden time the sorrows in the house of the Labdacidae are heaped upon the sorrows of the dead; and generation is not freed by generation, but some god strikes them down, and the race hath no deliverance.

For now that hope of which the light had been 600 spread above the last root of the house of Oedipus— that hope, in turn, is brought low—by the blood-stained dust due to the gods infernal, and by folly in speech, and frenzy at the heart. 605 Thy power, O Zeus, what human trespass can limit? That power which neither Sleep, the all-ensnaring, nor the untiring months of the gods can master; but thou, a ruler to whom time brings not old age, dwellest in the 610 dazzling splendour of Olympus.

And through the future, near and far, as through the past, shall this law hold good: Nothing that is vast enters into the life of mortals without a curse. 615 For that hope whose wanderings are so wide is to many men a comfort, but to many a false lure of giddy 620 desires; and the disappointment comes on one who knoweth nought till he burn his foot against the hot fire. For with wisdom hath some one given forth the famous saying, that evil seems good, soon or late, to him whose mind the god draws to mischief; and but for the briefest space doth he fare free of woe. 626 But lo, Haemon, the last of thy sons;—comes he grieving for the doom of his promised bride, Antigone, 630 and bitter for the baffled hope of his marriage? Enter HAEMON.

English (Robert Potter, 1788) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Robert Potter, 1788)) — 135 focus

Antigone
839

Nay, do not mock me; by my country's gods

Insult me not ere I am sunk in death,
840

While yet I stand before your eyes. O Thebes,

And you, the splendid habitants of Thebes

With various treasures rich! Ye sacred founts

Of Dirce, and thou grove of Thebes, whose glades

Are open to the frequent-rolling cars!
845

You all can witness for me, how by friends

Unwept, and by what laws I go condemn'd

To the rude prison of the hollow rock,

Of this unwonted tomb. Unhappy me,

I have, or in my life, or in my death,
850

No dwelling with the living, or the dead!........

English (Sir Richard Jebb2, 1904) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Sir Richard Jebb2, 1904)) — 162-330 focus

Enter Creon, with two attendants.

Creon

My fellow citizens! First, the gods, after tossing the fate of our city on wild waves, have once more righted it. Second, I have ordered you through my messengers to come here

apart from all the rest, because I knew, first of all, how constant was your reverence for the power of the throne of Laius; how, again, you were reverent, when Oedipus was guiding our city; and lastly, how, when he was dead, you still maintained loyal thoughts towards his children.
165

Since, then, these latter have fallen in one day by a twofold doom—each striking, each struck, both with the stain of a brother’s murder—I now possess all the power and the throne according to my kinship with the dead.
170

Now, it is impossible to know fully any man’s character, will, or judgment, until he has been proved by the test of rule and law-giving. For if anyone who directs the entire city does not cling to the best and wisest plans,
175

but because of some fear keeps his lips locked, then, in my judgment, he is and has long been the most cowardly traitor. And if any man thinks a friend more important than his fatherland, that man, I say, is of no account. Zeus, god who sees all things always, be my witness—
180

I would not be silent if I saw ruin, instead of safety, marching upon the citizens. Nor would I ever make a man who is hostile to my country a friend to myself, because I know this, that our country is the ship that bears us safe, and that only when
185

we sail her on a straight course can we make true friends. Such are the rules by which I strengthen this city. Akin to these is the edict which I have now published to the citizenry concerning the sons of Oedipus: Eteocles, who fell fighting
190

in behalf of our city and who excelled all in battle, they shall entomb and heap up every sacred offering that descends to the noblest of the dead below. But as for his brother, Polyneices, I mean, who on his return from exile wanted to burn to the ground
195

the city of his fathers and his race’s gods, and wanted to feed on kindred blood and lead the remnant into slavery—it has been proclaimed to the city that no one shall give him funeral honors or lamentation,
200

but all must leave him unburied and a sight of shame, with his body there for birds and dogs to eat. This is my will, and never will I allow the traitor to stand in honor before the just. But whoever has good will to Thebes ,
205

he shall be honored by me in death as in life.
210

211

Chorus

That is your will, Creon, towards this city’s enemy and its friend. And the power is yours, I believe, to make use of every law whatsoever, both concerning the dead and all us who live.

Creon

See, then, that you be guardians of my commands.
215

Chorus

Lay the weight of this task on some younger man.

Creon

That is not what I meant—the guards for the corpse are already in place.

Chorus

Then what is this other command that you would give?

Creon

That you not give way to the breakers of my commands.

Chorus

There is no one so foolish as to crave death.
220

Creon

I assure you, that is the wage for disobedience. Yet by just the hope of it, money has many times corrupted men.

Enter Guard.

Guard

My king, I will not say that I arrive breathless because of speed, or from the action of a swift foot.

For often I brought myself to a stop because of my thoughts, and wheeled round in my path to return. My mind was telling me many things: Fool, why do you go to where your arrival will mean your punishment? Idiot, are you dallying again? If Creon learns it from another, must you not suffer for it?
225

So debating, I made my way unhurriedly, slow, and thus a short road was made long. At last, however, the view prevailed that I should come here—to you. Even if my report brings no good, still will I tell you,
230

since I come with a good grip on one hope, that I can suffer nothing except what is my fate.
235

237

Creon

And what is it that so disheartens you?

Guard

I want to tell you first about myself—I did not do the deed, nor did I see the doer,

so it would be wrong that I should come to any harm.
240

Creon

Like a bowman you aim well at your target from a distance, and all around you hedge yourself off well from the deed. It is clear that you have some unheard-of thing to tell.

Guard

That I do, for terrible news imposes great hesitation.

Creon

Then tell it, will you, and so unburdened go away?

Guard

Well, here it is. The corpse—some one has just given it burial and disappeared after sprinkling thirsty dust on the flesh and performing the other rites that piety demands.
245

Creon

What are you saying? What man dared do this?

Guard

I do not know. For there was no scar of a pickax to be seen there,

no earth thrown up by a mattock. The ground was hard and dry, unbroken, not rolled over by wheels. The doer was someone who left no trace. When the first day-watchman showed it to us, a discomforting amazement fell on us all.
250

The dead man was veiled from us—not shut within a tomb, but a light cover of dust was on him, as if put there by the hand of one who shunned a curse. And no sign was visible that any beast of prey or any dog had approached or torn him. Then evil words flew thick and loud among us,
255

guard accusing guard. It would even have come to blows in the end, nor was there anyone there to prevent it: every man was the culprit, and no one was plainly guilty, while all disclaimed knowledge of the act. We were ready to take red-hot iron in our hands,
260

to walk through fire and to swear oaths by the gods that we had neither done the deed, nor shared knowledge of the planning or the doing. At last, when our investigating got us nowhere, someone spoke up and made us all bend our faces
265

in fear towards the earth. For we did not know how we could argue with him, nor yet prosper, if we did what he said. His argument was that the deed must be reported to you and not hidden. This view prevailed, and so it was that
270

the lot doomed miserable me to win this prize. So here I stand, as unwelcome to you as I am unwilling, I well know. For no man delights in the bearer of bad news.
275

278

Chorus

My king, my thoughts have long been deliberating whether this deed is somehow the work of gods?

Creon

Quiet, before your words truly fill me with rage, so that you not be found at the same time foolish as well as old. You say what is intolerable when you claim that the gods have concern for that corpse. Was it in high esteem for his benefactions
280

that they sought to hide him, when he had come to burn their columned shrines, their sacred treasures and their land, and scatter its laws to the winds? Or do you see the gods honoring the wicked? It cannot be. No! From the very first
285

certain men of the city were chafing at this edict and muttering against me, tossing their heads in secret, and they did not keep their necks duly under the yoke in submission to me. By those men, I am certain, they were led astray and bribed to do this deed.
290

Nothing so evil as money ever grew to be current among men. This destroys cities, this drives men from their homes, this trains and warps honest minds to set themselves to works of shame,
295

this teaches people to practise villainies, and to know every act of unholiness. But all the men who did this job for hire have made sure that, sooner or later, they shall suffer the punishment. Now, as Zeus still has my reverence, know this well—
300

I tell you on my oath. If you do not find the very hand that made this burial, and reveal him before my eyes, mere death shall not suffice for you, not before, hung up alive, you have made this outrage plain,
305

so that hereafter you may thieve with better knowledge of where your money should be received from, and learn that it is best not to be fond of money-making from any and every source. For you will find that ill-gotten gains bring more men to ruin than to safety.
310

315

Guard

Will you allow me to speak? Or shall I just turn and go?
315

Creon

Do you not know even now how much your voice sickens me?

Guard

Is the pain in your ears, or in your soul?

Creon

And why would you define the seat of my pain?

Guard

He who did it hurts your heart, but I, your ears.

Creon

God! How plain it is that you are a born babbler.
320

Guard

Perhaps, but never the author of this action.

Creon

Yes, and what is more, you sold your life for silver.

Guard

Ah! It is truly sad when the judge judges wrong .

Creon

Expound on judgment as you will. But, if you fail to

show me the perpetrators of these crimes, you will avow that money basely earned wreaks sorrows. Exit Creon.
325

Guard

Well, may the man be found! That would be best. But, whether he be caught or not—for fortune must decide that—I assure you that you will not see me come here again.

Saved just now beyond hope and belief, I owe the gods great thanks. Exit the Guard.
330

Commentary

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

mvp-comment-343-1 κακῶν ἄγευστος ¹

mvp-comment-344-1 σεισθῇ θεόθεν ²

mvp-comment-344-2 ἄτας οὐδὲν ἐλλείπει ³ ἐλλείπει ⁴

mvp-comment-344-3 γενεᾶς ἐπὶ πλῆθος ⁵ γενεᾶς ⁶

mvp-comment-345-1 ὅμοιον ⁷

mvp-comment-345-2 ποντίαις ⁸ πνοαῖς ⁹ ὅταν οἶδμα ¹⁰ ποντίαις δυσπν. Θρ. πνοαῖς ¹¹ ἐπιδράμῃ ἔρεβος ὕφαλον ¹² Θρῄσσαισιν ¹³

mvp-comment-346-1 κελαινὰν θῖνα ¹⁴

mvp-comment-346-2 δυσάνεμοι ¹⁵ δυσάνεμον ¹⁶

mvp-comment-346-3 στόνῳ βρ.· ¹⁷

mvp-comment-346-4 ἀντιπλῆγες ¹⁸ ἀκταί ¹⁹

mvp-comment-347-1 ἀρχαῖα ²⁰

mvp-comment-347-2 ὁρῶμαι ²¹ οἴκων ²² φθι^τῶν ²³

mvp-comment-348-1 ἀπαλλάσσει ²⁴

mvp-comment-348-2 γενεὰν γένος ²⁵ ἔχει ²⁶

mvp-comment-348-3 λύσιν ²⁷

mvp-comment-349-1 νῦν γὰρ ἐσχάτας ²⁸ ὃ τέτατο ²⁹ ἐτέτατο ³⁰ κατ’ αὖ ³¹ ὑπέρ ³² ὅπερ ³³ ὃ τέτατο ³⁴ νιν ³⁵ φάος ³⁶ ἐσχάτη ῥίζα ³⁷ φάος ³⁸ νιν ³⁹ φάος ⁴⁰ θάλος ⁴¹ τέτατο ⁴² ῥίζας ⁴³

mvp-comment-350-1 κατ’ αὖ … ἀμᾷ, ⁴⁴ κοπίς ⁴⁵ κόνις ⁴⁶ κόνις ⁴⁷

mvp-comment-350-2 (1) If κόνις ⁴⁸ καταμᾷ ⁴⁹

mvp-comment-350-3 (2) If we read κοπίς ⁵⁰

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 ⁵¹ φρενῶν ἐρινύς ⁵²

mvp-comment-352-1 τεάν ⁵³

mvp-comment-352-2 δύνα^σιν ⁵⁴

mvp-comment-352-3 κατάσχοι ⁵⁵

mvp-comment-353-1 The MS. παντογήρως ⁵⁶ παντοθήρας ⁵⁷ παντόθηρος ⁵⁸ πάντ’ ἀγρεύων ⁵⁹

mvp-comment-354-1 The MS. οὔτ’ ἀκάματοι θεῶν ⁶⁰

mvp-comment-354-2

οὐδὲν ἕρπει

. Far the best emendation is οὔτε θεῶν ἄκματοι ⁶¹ θεῶν ⁶² θεῶν μῆνες ⁶³ θεῶν ⁶⁴ οὔτε ⁶⁵

mvp-comment-354-3 ἄκματοι ⁶⁶

mvp-comment-355-1 I doubt whether the dat. χρόνῳ ⁶⁷

mvp-comment-355-2 μαρμαρόεσσαν ⁶⁸

mvp-comment-356-1 τό τ’ ἔπειτα ⁶⁹ τὸ μέλλον ⁷⁰

mvp-comment-356-2 καὶ τὸ πρίν ⁷⁴ ἐπαρκέσει ⁷⁵

mvp-comment-357-1 πάμπολύ γ’ ⁷⁶

mvp-comment-357-2 ἕρπει ⁷⁷ ἕρπειν ⁷⁸ ἕρπει ⁷⁹

mvp-comment-357-3 πάμπολις ⁸⁰

mvp-comment-358-1 ἁ γὰρ δή ⁸¹ γάρ ⁸² πολύπλαγκτος ⁸³

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 ⁸⁴

mvp-comment-360-1 ἀπάτα … ἐρώτων ⁸⁵

mvp-comment-360-2 κουφονόων ⁸⁶

mvp-comment-361-1 The

ἀπάτη

, or final frustration of his desires, ἕρπει ⁸⁷ οὐδὲν εἰδότι ⁸⁸

mvp-comment-362-1 πρὶν … προσαύσῃ ⁸⁹

mvp-comment-362-2 προσαύσῃ ⁹⁰

mvp-comment-362-3 πόδα ⁹¹ προσαύσῃ ⁹²

mvp-comment-363-1 σοφίᾳ ⁹³

mvp-comment-363-2 ἔκ του ⁹⁴

mvp-comment-363-3 πεφάνται ⁹⁵

mvp-comment-364-1 τὸ κακὸν δοκεῖν ποτ’ ⁹⁶ ποτέ ⁹⁷

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 ⁹⁸

mvp-comment-365-1 ὀλίγιστον ⁹⁹ ὀλιγοστόν ¹⁰⁰ πράσσει … ἐκτὸς ἄτας ¹⁰¹ ἄτας ¹⁰²

mvp-comment-366-1 μήν ¹⁰³

mvp-comment-366-2 νέατον ¹⁰⁴

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 ¹⁰⁵ μόρον ¹⁰⁶

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

νύμφης

is a gloss on τάλιδος ¹⁰⁷ τῆς μελλογάμου ¹⁰⁸ τῆς μελλογάμου ¹⁰⁹ τάλιδος ¹¹⁰

mvp-comment-368-1 ἀπάτας ¹¹¹ λεχέων ¹¹²

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

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.