ἄφετε μόνην ἔρημον, εἴτε χρῇ θανεῖν,
Antigone. Sophocles. Torino, Italy. 1978.
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Table of Contents
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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)) — 887 focus
οἴκησις ἀείφρουρος, οἷ πορεύομαι
Greek (A. Boeckh, 1884) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (A. Boeckh, 1884)) — 887 focus
βλέπειν, τίν᾽ αὐδᾶν ξυμμάχων; ἐπεί γε δὴ
Greek (F. H. Bothe, 1806) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (F. H. Bothe, 1806)) — 887 focus
χοὰς ἔδωκα·
νῦν δὲ, Πολύνεικες, τὸ σὸν
Greek (Lewis Campbell, 1879) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (Lewis Campbell, 1879)) — 887 focus
ἄφετε μόνην ἔρημον, εἴτε χρὴ θανεῖν,
Greek (A. Dain, 1955) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (A. Dain, 1955)) — 887.mvp-line-878 focus
ἄφετε μόνην ἔρημον, εἴτε χρῇ θανεῖν,
Greek (R. D. Dawe, 1979) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (R. D. Dawe, 1979)) — 887 focus
ἄφετε μόνην, ἔρημον, εἴτε χρῆι θανεῖν
Greek (G. Hermann, 1830) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (G. Hermann, 1830)) — 887 focus
κάτειμι, πρίν μοι μοῖραν ἐξήκειν βίου.
Greek (R. C. Jebb, 1906) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (R. C. Jebb, 1906)) — 887 focus
ἄφετε μόνην ἔρημον, εἴτε χρῇ θανεῖν
Greek (A. C. Pearson, 1924) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (A. C. Pearson, 1924)) — 887.mvp-line-879 focus
ἄφετε μόνην ἐρῆμον, εἴτε χρῇ θανεῖν
Antigone (OCR draft) Experimental (Antigone) — 887 focus
ἄφετε μόνην ἔρημον, εἴτε χρῇ θανεῖν
Greek (K. Reinhardt, 1949) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (K. Reinhardt, 1949)) — 887 focus
ἄφετε μόνην ἔρημον, εἴτε χρῆι θανεῖν
Translations (2)
German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review) (OCR draft) Experimental (German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review)) — 883 focus
Sagt, würde Iemand vor dem Tod mit Weheruf
Und Jammern enden, hülfe noch die Klage hier?
Auf, eilt mit ihr von hinnen, und verschloßt ihr sie
In's düstre Grabgewölbe, wie mein Wort gebot,
875
So laßt sie einsam und allein, sie sterbe nun,
Sie wohne lebend dort versenkt im engen Haus;
An dieser Jungfrau haben wir ja keine Schuld;
Nur mitzuwohnen hier im Licht ist ihr versagt.
Sagt, würde Iemand vor dem Tod mit Weheruf
Und Jammern enden, hülfe noch die Klage hier?
Auf, eilt mit ihr von hinnen, und verschloßt ihr sie
In's düstre Grabgewölbe, wie mein Wort gebot,
875
So laßt sie einsam und allein, sie sterbe nun,
Sie wohne lebend dort versenkt im engen Haus;
An dieser Jungfrau haben wir ja keine Schuld;
Nur mitzuwohnen hier im Licht ist ihr versagt.
Antigone.
O Grabgemach, Brautkammer, ewigschließendes
880
Wohnhaus in düstrer Höhle, wo hinab ich muß
Zu meinen Lieben, deren größte Zahl im Haus
Der Todten Persephassa schon empfangen hat,
1
Von welchen ich die lezte, weit unseligste,
Hinuntergeh'n soll, eh sich schloß mein Lebenstag!
885
Doch, komm' ich dorthin, dieser Hoffnung leb' ich fest,
Ich komme, lieb dem Vater, auch willkommen dir,
Mutter, dir auch komm' ich lieb, o Bruderhaupt;
Denn euch, die Todten, hab' ich selbst mit dieser Hand
Gebadet, selber euch geschmückt, auf euer Grab
890
Die Spenden ausgegossen; heute, weil ich dich
Bestattet, o Polyneikes, ernt' ich solchen Lohn!
Denn daß ich, ehrend Götterrecht, dich hochgeehrt
Vor Allen, achtet Kreon als verbrecherisch,
Als freches Unterfangen, o mein Bruderhaupt!
895
Und jezt ergreift er mit Gewalt und führt mich fort,
Bevor das Brautlied mir ertönt, der Ehe Glück
Und zarter Kinder Pflege mir beschieden ward:
Freundlos, verlassen, muß ich Unglückselige
Lebendig niedersteigen in der Todten Gruft.
900
Und welch Gebot der Götter übertrat ich denn?
Wie darf ich Arme noch den Blick nach ihren Höh'n
Erheben, wen um Hülfe fleh'n, da Götterfurcht
Den Lohn der Gottverächter mir erworben hat?
Doch wenn es so den Göttern wohlgefällig ist,
905
So will ich büßend meiner Schuld geständig sein;
Sind diese schuldig, möge dann kein größ'res Leid
Sie treffen, als sie wider Recht an mir gethan
O Grabgemach, Brautkammer, ewigschließendes
880
Wohnhaus in düstrer Höhle, wo hinab ich muß
Zu meinen Lieben, deren größte Zahl im Haus
Der Todten Persephassa schon empfangen hat,
1
Von welchen ich die lezte, weit unseligste,
Hinuntergeh'n soll, eh sich schloß mein Lebenstag!
885
Doch, komm' ich dorthin, dieser Hoffnung leb' ich fest,
Ich komme, lieb dem Vater, auch willkommen dir,
Mutter, dir auch komm' ich lieb, o Bruderhaupt;
Denn euch, die Todten, hab' ich selbst mit dieser Hand
Gebadet, selber euch geschmückt, auf euer Grab
890
Die Spenden ausgegossen; heute, weil ich dich
Bestattet, o Polyneikes, ernt' ich solchen Lohn!
Denn daß ich, ehrend Götterrecht, dich hochgeehrt
Vor Allen, achtet Kreon als verbrecherisch,
Als freches Unterfangen, o mein Bruderhaupt!
895
Und jezt ergreift er mit Gewalt und führt mich fort,
Bevor das Brautlied mir ertönt, der Ehe Glück
Und zarter Kinder Pflege mir beschieden ward:
Freundlos, verlassen, muß ich Unglückselige
Lebendig niedersteigen in der Todten Gruft.
900
Und welch Gebot der Götter übertrat ich denn?
Wie darf ich Arme noch den Blick nach ihren Höh'n
Erheben, wen um Hülfe fleh'n, da Götterfurcht
Den Lohn der Gottverächter mir erworben hat?
Doch wenn es so den Göttern wohlgefällig ist,
905
So will ich büßend meiner Schuld geständig sein;
Sind diese schuldig, möge dann kein größ'res Leid
Sie treffen, als sie wider Recht an mir gethan
Der Chor.
English (Sir Richard Jebb2, 1904) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Sir Richard Jebb2, 1904)) — 883-940 focus
Enter Creon.
929
Creon
Do you not know that dirges and wailing before death would never be given up, if it were allowed to make them freely?
Take her away—now! And when you have enshrouded her, as I proclaimed, in her covered tomb, leave her alone, deserted—let her decide whether she wishes to die or to live entombed in such a home. It makes no difference, since our hands are clean so far as regards this girl.
885
But no matter what, she will be stripped of her home here above.
890
Do you not know that dirges and wailing before death would never be given up, if it were allowed to make them freely?
Take her away—now! And when you have enshrouded her, as I proclaimed, in her covered tomb, leave her alone, deserted—let her decide whether she wishes to die or to live entombed in such a home. It makes no difference, since our hands are clean so far as regards this girl.
885
But no matter what, she will be stripped of her home here above.
890
Antigone
Tomb, bridal-chamber, deep-dug eternal prison where I go to find my own, whom in the greatest numbers destruction has seized and Persephone has welcomed among the dead!
Last of them all and in by far the most shameful circumstances, I will descend, even before the fated term of my life is spent. But I cherish strong hopes that I will arrive welcome to my father, and pleasant to you, Mother, and welcome, dear brother, to you.
895
For, when each of you died, with my own hands I washed and dressed you and poured drink-offerings at your graves. But now, Polyneices, it is for tending your corpse that I win such reward as this.
And yet I honored you rightly, as the wise understand.
900
Never, if I had been a mother of children, or if a husband had been rotting after death, would I have taken that burden upon myself in violation of the citizens’ will. For the sake of what law, you ask, do I say that? A husband lost, another might have been found,
905
and if bereft of a child, there could be a second from some other man. But when father and mother are hidden in Hades, no brother could ever bloom for me again. Such was the law whereby I held you first in honor, but for that Creon judged me guilty of wrongdoing
910
and of dreadful outrage, dear brother! And now he leads me thus in his hands’ strong grasp, when I have enjoyed no marriage bed or bridal song and have not received any portion of marriage or the nurture of children. But deserted by friends,
915
in misery I go living to the hollow graves of the dead. What law of the gods have I transgressed? Why should I look to the gods anymore? What ally should I call out to, when by my reverence I have earned a name for irreverence?
920
Well, then, if these events please the gods, once I have suffered my doom I will come to know my guilt. But if the guilt lies with my judges, I could wish for them no greater evils than they inflict unjustly on me.
925
929
Tomb, bridal-chamber, deep-dug eternal prison where I go to find my own, whom in the greatest numbers destruction has seized and Persephone has welcomed among the dead!
Last of them all and in by far the most shameful circumstances, I will descend, even before the fated term of my life is spent. But I cherish strong hopes that I will arrive welcome to my father, and pleasant to you, Mother, and welcome, dear brother, to you.
895
For, when each of you died, with my own hands I washed and dressed you and poured drink-offerings at your graves. But now, Polyneices, it is for tending your corpse that I win such reward as this.
And yet I honored you rightly, as the wise understand.
900
Never, if I had been a mother of children, or if a husband had been rotting after death, would I have taken that burden upon myself in violation of the citizens’ will. For the sake of what law, you ask, do I say that? A husband lost, another might have been found,
905
and if bereft of a child, there could be a second from some other man. But when father and mother are hidden in Hades, no brother could ever bloom for me again. Such was the law whereby I held you first in honor, but for that Creon judged me guilty of wrongdoing
910
and of dreadful outrage, dear brother! And now he leads me thus in his hands’ strong grasp, when I have enjoyed no marriage bed or bridal song and have not received any portion of marriage or the nurture of children. But deserted by friends,
915
in misery I go living to the hollow graves of the dead. What law of the gods have I transgressed? Why should I look to the gods anymore? What ally should I call out to, when by my reverence I have earned a name for irreverence?
920
Well, then, if these events please the gods, once I have suffered my doom I will come to know my guilt. But if the guilt lies with my judges, I could wish for them no greater evils than they inflict unjustly on me.
925
Chorus
Still the same tempest of the soul
grips this girl with the same fierce gusts.
930
Still the same tempest of the soul
grips this girl with the same fierce gusts.
930
Creon
Then because of this her guards will have reason to lament their slowness.
Then because of this her guards will have reason to lament their slowness.
Antigone
Ah, no! That command verges close on death.
Ah, no! That command verges close on death.
Creon
I cannot console you with any hope that your doom is not to be fulfilled in that way.
935
I cannot console you with any hope that your doom is not to be fulfilled in that way.
935
Antigone
O city of my fathers, land of
Thebes
, and you gods, our ancestors! I am led away now; there is no more delay!
Look at me, you who are
Thebes
’ lords—look at the only remaining daughter of the house of your kings. See what I suffer, and at whose hands, because I revered reverence!
Antigone is led away by the guards.
940
O city of my fathers, land of
Thebes
, and you gods, our ancestors! I am led away now; there is no more delay!
Look at me, you who are
Thebes
’ lords—look at the only remaining daughter of the house of your kings. See what I suffer, and at whose hands, because I revered reverence!
Antigone is led away by the guards.
940
Commentary
Commentary (R. C. Jebb) (OCR draft) (Commentary (R. C. Jebb))
mvp-comment-528-1 χρῇ 1 ζῶσα 2 χρῇ 3
mvp-comment-528-2
σιγῆν; but the MSS. are supported by the testimony of Suidas and Hesychius to
χρῇς as=
χρῄζεις. In the other four places where these forms are usu. read, they are not indispensable,
χρή being possible; but in two, at least, they are much better than
χρή, viz.
El. 606
κήρυσσέ μ’ εἰς ἅπαντας, εἴτε χρῇς κακήν, | εἴτε στόμαργον, κ.τ.λ.: and
Ai. 1373
σοὶ δὲ δρᾶν ἔξεσθ’ ἃ χρῇς. In the other two,
χρή might well stand: Eur. fr. 910
πρὸς ταῦθ’ ὅ τι χρῇ καὶ παλαμάσθω | καὶ πᾶν ἐπ’ ἐμοὶ τεκταινέσθω: Cratinus
Νόμοι fr. 2
νῦν γὰρ δή σοι πάρα μὲν θεσμοὶ | τῶν ἡμετέρων, πάρα δ’ ἄλλ’ ὅ τι χρῇς. Except in
Ach. 778
, the MSS. everywhere give
χρή: and the variants in the next v. (see cr. n.) show that
χρῇ was strange to the copyists, though known to the Scholiast.
Commentary (Lewis Campbell, 1879) (OCR draft) (Commentary (Lewis Campbell, 1879)) focus
887. mvp-comment-503-1 ἄφετε This is on the whole more probable than ἄπιτε. The change from the future with οὐκ to the imperative has probably occasioned the corruption of the text.
887. mvp-comment-503-2 χρή This the Scholiast explained by χρήσει, i. e. he read χρῇ. And this is necessary, if τυμβεύειν is read in 888. But τυμβεύσει, the reading of Triclinius, is supported by τυμβεύει in AV³. Whether she must die there, or shall live a buried life in that dark cell. For εἰ .. χρή, cp. Εl. 399, πεσούμεθ', εἰ χρή, πατρὶ τιμωρούμενοι. And for τυμβεύσει, see Essay on Language p. 64 b. The intransitive use of τυμβεύειν occurs nowhere else.