Sophocles Antigone 246

Lewis Campbell (Translator)

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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

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)) — 246 focus

κόνιν παλύνας, κἀφαγιστεύσας ἃ χρή.

Greek (A. Boeckh, 1884) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (A. Boeckh, 1884)) — 246 focus

πλῆγμ᾽, οὐ δικέλλης ἐκβολή· στύφλος δὲ γῆ

Greek (F. H. Bothe, 1806) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (F. H. Bothe, 1806)) — 246 focus

τί φής; τίς ἀνδρῶν ἦν ὁ τολμήσας τάδε;

Greek (Lewis Campbell, 1879) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (Lewis Campbell, 1879)) — 246 focus

θάψας βέβηκε, κἀπὶ χρωτὶ διψίαν

Greek (A. Colonna, 1978) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (A. Colonna, 1978)) — 246 focus

θάψας βέβηκε κἀπὶ χρωτὶ διψίαν

Greek (A. Dain, 1955) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (A. Dain, 1955)) — 246.mvp-line-246 focus

θάψας βέβηκε κἀπὶ χρωτὶ διψίαν

Greek (R. D. Dawe, 1979) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (R. D. Dawe, 1979)) — 246 focus

θάψας βέβηκε κἀπὶ χρωτὶ διψίαν

Greek (G. Hermann, 1830) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (G. Hermann, 1830)) — 246 focus

θάψας βέβηκε, κἀπὶ χρωτὶ διψίαν

Greek (R. C. Jebb, 1906) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (R. C. Jebb, 1906)) — 246 focus

θάψας βέβηκε κἀπὶ χρωτὶ διψίαν

Greek (A. C. Pearson, 1924) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (A. C. Pearson, 1924)) — 246.mvp-line-246 focus

θάψας βέβηκε κἀπὶ χρωτὶ διψίαν

Antigone (OCR draft) Experimental (Antigone) — 246 focus

θάψας βέβηκε κἀπὶ χρωτὶ διψίαν

Greek (K. Reinhardt, 1949) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (K. Reinhardt, 1949)) — 246 focus

θάψας βέβηκε κἀπὶ χρωτὶ διψίαν

Translations (9)

German (A. Boeckh, 1884) (OCR draft) Experimental (German (A. Boeckh, 1884)) — 246 focus

CHOR.

Welch neues Leid der Herrscher bringst du wiederum?
1115

Spanish (J. A. Bolufer, 1921) (OCR draft) Experimental (Spanish (J. A. Bolufer, 1921)) — 246 focus

CORO

Y en verdad que veo a la desdichada Eurídice, la esposa de Creonte, que sale de casa; ya sea por haber oido oído algo de su hijo, ya por casualidad.

Latin (F. H. Bothe, 1806) (OCR draft) Experimental (Latin (F. H. Bothe, 1806)) — 246 focus

Euydice

1183 O vos omnes, quicumque adestis, cives (sermonem enim vesirum audivi, quum ostio propinquarem, egressura, ut Palladis delubrum adirem, deaeque adhiberem preces; et claustra quidem occlusae portae laxabam, quum aures mihi ferit rumor domestici mali, metuque perculsa revolvor supind inter famularum manus, et linquor animo), age quis fuit iste sermo, rursum dicite! malorum enim nequaquam inexperta audiam.

German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review) (OCR draft) Experimental (German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review)) — 237 focus

Was ist's, warum befiel dich solche Bangigkeit?

Der Wächter.

Erst laß dir sagen, was mich selbst betrifft: die That

Verübt' ich nicht, noch sah ich, wer der Thäter war;

Und nur mit Unrecht widerführe mir ein Leid.
240

Kreon.

Du zielst behutsam und verschanzest dich geschickt

Ringsher; du bringst uns, seh' ich wohl, ein schweres Wort.

Der Wächter.

Das Arge freilich regt die Furcht gewaltig auf.

Kreon.

Nun, wirst du reden endlich und dann weiter geh'n?

Der Wächter.

Wohlan, so sag' ich's: Einer, der sofort verschwand,
245

Begrub den Todten eben, hat mit trocknem Staub

Bestreut den Leichnam, und geweiht, was üblich ist.

Kreon.

Was sagst du? Wer auf Erden hat sich deß erkühnt?

Der Wächter.

Ich weiß es nicht; denn weder eines Beiles Hieb

War dort, noch einer Hacke Wurf, der Boden dicht
250

Und fest und bruchlos, auch mit Wagenrädern nicht

Befahren; spurlos blieb es, wer der Thäter war.

Und wie es uns der erste Tageswächter zeigt,¹

Erschien es Allen unerklärlich wunderbar.

Die Leiche war verschwunden, nicht begraben zwar;
255

Dünn, wie den Fluch zu meiden, lag der Staub darauf.²

Von einem Raubthier oder Hund war keine Spur,

Die hergekommen und an ihr herumgezerrt.

Nun schollen böse Reden auf einander los,

Der Wächter zich den Wächter; wohl auch endet' es
260

Zulezt mit Schlägen; Keiner war zu wehren da.

Denn Einer wie der Andre war der Thäter hier,

Und Keiner überführbar; Jeder stritt es ab.

Mit Händen fassen wollten wir ein glühend Erz,³

Durch Feuer gehen, schwören bei den Göttern selbst,
265

Daß wir es nicht verübten noch im Bunde sei'n

Mit Einem, der's ersonnen oder ausgeführt.

Am Ende, da kein Forschen mehr uns weiter half,

Sprach Einer, der uns alle zwang, vor Furcht das Haupt

Zur Erd' hinabzusenken denn wir wußten nicht
270

Zu widersprechen, noch wiefern wir, thäten wir's,

Uns helfen könnten dieser rieth, man müsse dir

Die Sache hinterbringen, nicht verheimlichen.

Und seine Meinung siegte: mich Unseligen

Verdammt zu diesem schönen Glück des Looses Wurf.
275

Nun steh' ich hier, nicht willig vor Unwilligen:

Niemand ja liebt den Boten unwillkommner Mähr.

Der Chor.

English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759)) — 246 focus

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

Spanish (A. G. Garbin, 1889) (OCR draft) Experimental (Spanish (A. G. Garbin, 1889)) — 246 focus

CREONTE

Parto sin dilación. ¡Vosotros, siervos que estáis presentes y los que están ausentes, todos, coged vuestras hachas y corred á lo alto de la montaña! donde yace Polynico. ... ...

En cuanto á mi, puesto que he cambiado de resolución, puesto que yo la aprisioné, yo mismo voy á ponerla en libertad... Me temo que no sea el partido más prudente el aferrarme á la ley establecida. Márchase con sus criados.

German (F. Hölderlin, 1804) (OCR draft) Experimental (German (F. Hölderlin, 1804)) — 246 focus

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.

English (Sir Richard Jebb1, 1904) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Sir Richard Jebb1, 1904)) — 246 focus

Messenger

1219 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.

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-753-1 τεθάμβηκ’ ¹

mvp-comment-753-2 βόσκομαι ²

mvp-comment-754-1 γόους … ἀξιώσειν ³

mvp-comment-754-2 ὑπὸ στέγης ⁴

mvp-comment-755-1 προθήσειν ⁵ στένειν ⁶

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 ⁷

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

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.