Sophocles Antigone 204

Lewis Campbell (Translator)

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1033

I am your mark, and ye with one consent

All shoot your shafts at me. Nought left untried,

Not even the craft of prophets, by whose crew
1035

I am bought and merchandised long since. Go on!

Traffic, get gain, electrum from the mine

Of Lydia, and the gold of Ind! Yet know,

Grey-beard! ye ne’er shall hide him in a tomb.

No, not if heaven’s own eagle chose to snatch
1040

And bear him to the throne supreme for food,

Even that pollution should not daunt my heart

To yield permission for his funeral.

For well know I defilement ne’er can rise

From man to God. But, old Tirésias, hear!
1045

Even wisest spirits have a shameful fall

That fairly speak base words for love of gain.

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)) — 204 focus

ἐᾷν δ᾽ ἄθαπτον καὶ πρὸς οἰωνῶν δέμας

Greek (A. Boeckh, 1884) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (A. Boeckh, 1884)) — 204 focus

τιμὴν προέξουσ᾽ οἱ κακοὶ τῶν ἐνδίκων.

Greek (F. H. Bothe, 1806) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (F. H. Bothe, 1806)) — 204 focus

καὶ πρὸς κυνῶν ἐδεστὸν, αἰκιστόν τ᾽ ἰδεῖν.

Greek (Lewis Campbell, 1879) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (Lewis Campbell, 1879)) — 204 focus

μήτε κτερίζειν μήτε κωκῦσαί τινα,

Greek (A. Colonna, 1978) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (A. Colonna, 1978)) — 204 focus

μήτε κτερίζειν μήτε κωκῦσαί τινα,

Greek (A. Dain, 1955) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (A. Dain, 1955)) — 204.mvp-line-204 focus

μήτε κτερίζειν μήτε κωκῦσαί τινα,

Greek (R. D. Dawe, 1979) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (R. D. Dawe, 1979)) — 204 focus

μήτε κτερίζειν μήτε κωκῦσαί τινα,

Greek (G. Hermann, 1830) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (G. Hermann, 1830)) — 204 focus

μήτε κτερίζειν, μήτε κωκῦσαί τινα,

Greek (R. C. Jebb, 1906) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (R. C. Jebb, 1906)) — 204 focus

μήτε κτερίζειν μήτε κωκῦσαί τινα,

Greek (A. C. Pearson, 1924) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (A. C. Pearson, 1924)) — 204.mvp-line-204 focus

μήτε κτερίζειν μήτε κωκῦσαί τινα,

Antigone (OCR draft) Experimental (Antigone) — 204 focus

μήτε κτερίζειν μήτε κωκῦσαί τινα,

Greek (K. Reinhardt, 1949) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (K. Reinhardt, 1949)) — 204 focus

μήτε κτερίζειν μήτε κωκῦσαί τινα,

Translations (9)

German (A. Boeckh, 1884) (OCR draft) Experimental (German (A. Boeckh, 1884)) — 204 focus

CHOR.

Nicht geb' ich dir jetzt Trostzuspruch mehr,

nicht werde sofort das Gebot vollbracht.
900

Spanish (J. A. Bolufer, 1921) (OCR draft) Experimental (Spanish (J. A. Bolufer, 1921)) — 204 focus

TIRESIAS

Piensa que ahora caminas sobre el filo de una navaja.

Latin (F. H. Bothe, 1806) (OCR draft) Experimental (Latin (F. H. Bothe, 1806)) — 204 focus

Teiresias

Cogita, te nunc rursus in ancipiti periculo versari.

German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review) (OCR draft) Experimental (German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review)) — 211 focus

Dir, Sohn Menökeus', Kreon, ist es so genehm

Mit dieses Landes Gegner und mit seinem Freund.

Denn jede Sazung anzuordnen steht dir frei,

So für die Todten, wie für uns, die Lebenden.

Kreon.

Seid ihr die Hüter dessen nun, was ich gebot!
215

Der Chor.

Der Jüngern Einem lege dies zu tragen auf.

Kreon.

Die, so den Leichnam hüten, steh'n ja schon bereit.

Der Chor.

Warum denn einem Andern noch gebeutst du dies?

Kreon.

Daß Keinem Nachsicht werde, der dawider thut.

Der Chor.

Wer ist so thöricht, daß er sich zu sterben sehnt?
220

Kreon.

Und dieses wäre, traun, der Lohn; doch Vielen ja

Hat schon die Hoffnung auf Gewinn den Tod gebracht.

Ein Wächter. Die Voriger.

Der Wächter.

Herr, ich will nicht sagen, daß ich athemlos

Vor Eile komme mit behend erhob'nem Fuß;

Denn viel Bedenken schus mir manchen Aufenthalt,
225

Und oft zur Rückkehr wandt' ich unterwegs mich um.

Denn meine Seele sprach zu mir und warnte viel:

„Was willst du dorthin, Armer, wo dir Strafe droht?

Elender, säumst du? Doch erfährt es Kreon dann

Von einem Andern, würde dir's nicht schlimm ergeh'n?"
230

In solchem Grübeln ging ich langsam schnell voran,

Und also streckt sich lange hin der kurze Weg.

Doch siegt' am Ende der Entschluß, hieher zu geh'n,

Zu dir; und sag' ich dir auch Nichts, ich sag' es doch.

Denn an die Hoffnung klammr' ich unverrückt mich an,
235

Nichts könne sonst mich treffen, als bestimmtes Loos.

Kreon.

English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759)) — 204 focus

Tiresias

Therefore be wise. For know, this very hour

Is the important crisis of thy fate.

Spanish (A. G. Garbin, 1889) (OCR draft) Experimental (Spanish (A. G. Garbin, 1889)) — 204 focus

ANTÍGONA

¡Ay!... esas duras palabras son mi última sentencia.

German (F. Hölderlin, 1804) (OCR draft) Experimental (German (F. Hölderlin, 1804)) — 204 focus

KREON

O Alter! alle, wie auf eines Schüzen Ziel

Zielt ihr auf unser einen. Ungeschult nicht bin

Von eurer Art ich in der Seherkunst nicht ;

Verkauft bin ich seit langem und betrogen.
1075

Gewinnet! Kauft von Sardes das Electrum,

Wenn ihr es wollt, und Gold von Indien,

Doch in dem Grabe berget ihr nicht jenen,

Nicht, wenn der Donnervogel zukend ihn,

Vor Gottes Thron, als Speise tragen wollte.
1080

Dels ungeachtet lals’ ich, der Krankheiten nicht

Des Himmels fürchtet, nicht ein Grab dem Manne.

Gott regt kein Mensch an, dieses weiss ich.

Es fallen aber, Greis Tiresias ,

Von Sterblichen auch sehr Gewaltige,
1085

Sehr wüsten Fall, wenn solche Worte sie,

Die wüst sind, schön aussprechen, Vortlieils wegen.

English (Sir Richard Jebb1, 1904) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Sir Richard Jebb1, 1904)) — 204 focus

Creon

What means this? How I shudder at thy message!

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-617-1 ὥστε ¹ σκοποῦ ²

mvp-comment-618-1 κοὐδὲ μαντικῆς ³ ἄπρακτος ⁴ μαντικῆς ⁵ α ⁶ μαντικῇ ⁷ ἄπρατος ⁸

mvp-comment-618-2 τῶν δ’ ὑπαὶ γένους ⁹ τῶν ¹⁰

mvp-comment-618-3 refer to ὑμῖν ¹¹ μαντικῆς ¹² μαντικοῖς ¹³

mvp-comment-618-4 ὑπαί ¹⁴

mvp-comment-618-5 γένους ¹⁵

mvp-comment-619-1 ἐξημπόλημαι ¹⁶ ἐμπεφόρτισμαι ¹⁷ ἐκπεφόρτισμαι ¹⁸

mvp-comment-620-1 τἀπὸ Σάρδεων ἤλεκτρον ¹⁹

mvp-comment-620-2 τἀπὸ ²⁰

mvp-comment-620-3 Ἰνδικὸν χρυσόν ²¹

mvp-comment-621-1 οἱ Ζηνὸς αἰετοί ²²

mvp-comment-622-1 οὐδ’ ὥς ²³

mvp-comment-623-1 θεοὺς μιαίνειν ²⁴

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 ²⁵

mvp-comment-625-1 καλῶς ²⁶

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

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.