Sophocles Antigone 720

πρόσεστι, φήμ᾽ ἔγωγε πρεσβεύειν πολὺ
720

Antigone. Sophocles. Torino, Italy. 1978.

Sponsored by Perseus Project, Tufts University.

Funding provided by Tufts University.

Current edition Experimental

Greek (A. Colonna, 1978) (OCR draft) (Greek) (Greek (A. Colonna, 1978))

Provisional text from uncorrected OCR; expect errors.

Editions (11)
Greek (L. Benloew, 1858) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (L. Benloew, 1858)) — 720 focus
καὶ τῶν λεγόντων εὖ καλὸν τὸ μανθάνειν.
720
Greek (A. Boeckh, 1884) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (A. Boeckh, 1884)) — 720 focus
οὐ γὰρ δίκαιά σ᾽ ἐξαμαρτάνονθ᾽ ὁρῶ.
720
Greek (F. H. Bothe, 1806) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (F. H. Bothe, 1806)) — 720 focus
οὐ τὸν χρόνον χρὴ μᾶλλον ἢ τἄργα σκοπεῖν.
720
Greek (Lewis Campbell, 1879) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (Lewis Campbell, 1879)) — 720 focus
πρόσεστι, φήμ᾽ ἔγωγε πρεσβεύειν πολὺ
720
Greek (A. Dain, 1955) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (A. Dain, 1955)) — 720.mvp-line-713 focus
πρόσεστι, φήμ’ ἔγωγε πρεσβεύειν πολὺ
720
Greek (R. D. Dawe, 1979) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (R. D. Dawe, 1979)) — 720 focus
πρόσεστι, φήμ᾽ ἔγωγε πρεσβεύειν πολὺ
720
Greek (G. Hermann, 1830) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (G. Hermann, 1830)) — 720 focus
ἄναξ, σέ τ᾽ εἰκός, εἴ τι καίριον, λέγει,
720
Greek (R. C. Jebb, 1906) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (R. C. Jebb, 1906)) — 720 focus
πρόσεστι, φήμ᾽ ἔγωγε πρεσβεύειν πολὺ
720
Greek (A. C. Pearson, 1924) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (A. C. Pearson, 1924)) — 720.mvp-line-713 focus
πρόσεστι, φήμ᾽ ἔγωγε πρεσβεύειν πολὺ
720
Antigone (OCR draft) Experimental (Antigone) — 720 focus
πρόσεστι, φήμʼ ἔγωγε πρεσβεύειν πολὺ
720
Greek (K. Reinhardt, 1949) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (K. Reinhardt, 1949)) — 720 focus
πρόσεστι, φήμ᾽ ἔγωγε πρεσβεύειν πολὺ
720
Translations (2)
German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review) (OCR draft) Experimental (German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review)) — 724 focus
Ihn hörst du billig, wenn er treffend spricht, o Herr,
Und du den Vater; sprachet ihr doch beide gut.
English (Sir Richard Jebb2, 1904) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Sir Richard Jebb2, 1904)) — 781-805 focus

Commentary

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

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.

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.