Sophocles Antigone 204

Thomas Francklin (Translator)

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Tiresias

Therefore be wise. For know, this very hour

Is the important crisis of thy fate.

Antigone. Sophocles. Thomas Francklin (Translator). London. 1758–1759.

Current edition Experimental

English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759) (OCR draft) (English) (English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759))

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.

English (Lewis Campbell, 1906) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Lewis Campbell, 1906)) — 204 focus

CR
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.

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.

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-595-1 θᾶκον ¹

mvp-comment-595-2 λιμήν ²

mvp-comment-596-1 κακῷ ³

mvp-comment-596-2 οἴστρῳ ⁴

mvp-comment-596-3 κλάζοντας ⁵

mvp-comment-596-4 βεβαρβαρωμένῳ ⁶

mvp-comment-597-1 ἐν χηλαῖσιν ⁷ φοναῖς ⁸

mvp-comment-598-1 The feuds and friendships of birds (

ἔχθραι τε καὶ στέργηθρα

Aesch. PV 492 ) were among the signs noted by augurs. In this case there was a vague omen of bloodshed (

φοναῖς

), but no clear sign. The seer now sought further light by another mode of divination.

mvp-comment-598-2 ἐμπύρων ⁹

mvp-comment-598-3 ἐγευόμην ¹⁰

mvp-comment-599-1 παμφλέκτοισι ¹¹ θυμάτων ¹²

mvp-comment-600-1 Ἥφαιστος ¹³

mvp-comment-600-2 a bad sign, if the fire was smothered in smoke, or played feebly around the flesh without consuming it. See Eur. Phoen. 1255

μάντεις δὲ μῆλ’ ἔσφαζον, ἐμπύρους τ’ ἀκμὰς | ῥήξεις τ’ ἐνώμων, ὑγρότητ’ ἐναντίαν, | ἄκραν τε λαμπάδ’, ἣ δυοῖν ὅρους ἔχει, | vίκης τε σῆμα καὶ τὸ τῶν ἡσσωμένων

: the seers ‘were watching for points of flame, or for breaks in it,—such flickering as portends evil’; i.e., they were watching to see whether it would blaze up or die down. The

ἄκρα λαμπάς

is prob. the highest point of the fire, which, if towards the right side, meant victory; if towards the left, defeat. So Statius, Theb. 10. 599 , where Teiresias offers

ἔμπυρα

, and his daughter reports the signs to him (as the

παῖς

does here):

Sanguineos flammarum apices

(=

ἐμπύρους ἀκμάς

)

geminumque per aras | Ignem, et clara tamen mediae fastigia lucis

(=

ἄκραν λαμπάδα

) |

Orta docet: tunc in speciem serpentis inanem | Ancipiti gyro volvi

(‘as if creeping on its way without an aim, the fire played timidly around the offering’). In Seneca Oed. 307 Teiresias asks,

Quid flamma? Larga iamne comprendit dapes? | Utrumne clarus ignis et nitidus stetit, | Rectusque purum verticem caelo tulit, | An latera circum serpit incertus viae, | Et fluctuante turbidus fumo labat?

mvp-comment-601-1 The fat wrapped about the thigh-bones ought to have caught fire, when the flesh on the bones would have been burned, and the bones themselves calcined. But here there was no flame; the kindled fuel lay in smouldering embers (

σποδός

). The heat caused a fatty moisture to exude from the covering of the thigh-bones. Trickling forth on the embers, this moisture emitted smoke, and sputtered as it threw particles of the fat upwards. The gall-bladder, too, which lay on the top of the thighbones, instead of catching fire, was gradually inflated by the heat, till it burst, scattering the gall into the air. And now the melting of the fat which covered the thigh-bones had gone so far that it was no longer a covering, but merely a liquid that was streaming off them, while they themselves were left naked and intact. So utterly had the gods refused the offering.

mvp-comment-601-2 μυδῶσα ¹⁴

mvp-comment-601-3 κηκὶς μηρίων ¹⁵

mvp-comment-601-4 ἐτήκετο ¹⁶ ἐπὶ σποδῷ ¹⁷

mvp-comment-601-5 ἀνέπτυε ¹⁸

mvp-comment-602-1 χολαί ¹⁹

mvp-comment-602-2 καταρρυεῖς ²⁰

mvp-comment-603-1 μηροί … μηρίων ²¹

mvp-comment-603-2 καλυπτῆς ²²

mvp-comment-603-3 πιμελῆς ²³ ἐξέκειντο ²⁴

mvp-comment-604-1 τοιαῦτα ²⁵

mvp-comment-604-2 ὀργίων μαντεύματα ²⁶ φθίνοντα ²⁷

mvp-comment-604-3 ἀσήμων ²⁸

mvp-comment-605-1 ἡγεμών ²⁹

mvp-comment-606-1 ἐκ ³⁰

mvp-comment-606-2 φρενός ³¹

mvp-comment-606-3 νοσεῖ ³²

mvp-comment-607-1 βωμοί ³³

mvp-comment-607-2 ἐσχάραι ³⁴

mvp-comment-607-3 παντελεῖς ³⁵

mvp-comment-608-1 πλήρεις ³⁶ ὑπ’ οἰων. κ. κυνῶν ³⁷ βορᾶς τοῦ...Οἰδ. γόνου ³⁸ γόνου ³⁹ δυσμόρου ⁴⁰ πεπτῶτος ⁴¹ τοῦ … γόνου ⁴² βορᾶς ⁴³ τοῦ … γόνου ⁴⁴

mvp-comment-609-1 κᾆτ’ ⁴⁵

mvp-comment-609-2 θυστάδας ⁴⁶

mvp-comment-610-1 ὅρνι^ς ⁴⁷

mvp-comment-610-2 εὐσήμους ⁴⁸

mvp-comment-610-3 βεβρῶτες ⁴⁹

mvp-comment-610-4 ἀνδροφθόρου ⁵⁰

mvp-comment-611-1 ἐπεί ⁵¹

mvp-comment-611-2 ἄνολβος ⁵²

mvp-comment-612-1 ἀκεῖται ⁵³

mvp-comment-612-2 ἀκίνητος ⁵⁴

mvp-comment-613-1 αὐθαδία ⁵⁵ ὀφλισκάνει ⁵⁶

mvp-comment-614-1 εἶκε τῷ θανόντι ⁵⁷

mvp-comment-614-2 κέντει ⁵⁸

mvp-comment-615-1 ἐπικτανεῖν ⁵⁹

mvp-comment-616-1 εὖ φρονήσας ⁶⁰

mvp-comment-616-2 μανθάνειν δ ⁶¹

mvp-comment-616-3 εἰ … λέγοι ⁶² ἥδιστον ⁶³

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

999. mvp-comment-577-1 The οἰωνοσκοπεῖον of Teiresias was shown at Thebes in the time of Pausanias: Paus. 9. 16.

999. mvp-comment-577-2 παλαιόν i. e. consecrated by use from early times.

1000. mvp-comment-578-1 ἵν'.. λιμήν Where I had harbourage for every ominous bird. Essay on Language § 58. p. 105.

1002. mvp-comment-579-1 κλάζοντας Accusative πρὸς τὸ σημαινόμενον, as if ὄρνιθας ἄγνωτα φθεγγομένους had preceded.

1002. mvp-comment-579-2 βεβαρβαρωμένῳ Rendered unintelligible,' Confused. 1003. iv, of the instrument. Cp. supra. 1. 961. φοναῖς, In bloody fray. Dative of manner. Cp. supra, l. 960 .

1004. mvp-comment-580-1 πτερῶν.. ἦν For the whirring of their wings gave no uncertain sound: although their voices did. 1005 ἐγευόμην] By analogy for ἐπειρώμην, I made trial of the divination by burnt sacrifice,' similar to that used in the temple of Ismenus: O. Τ. 21.

1006. mvp-comment-581-1 βωμοῖσι παμφλέκτοισιν At the blazing altar. παν in composition is simply intensive, as in El. 1139: and the epithet is generally descriptive. See Essay on Language § 55. p. 101.

1006. mvp-comment-581-2 ἐκ δὲ θυμάτων 'But from the sacrifice the Fire-god refused to gleam; and on the ash a dank humour dripped from the thigh-bones, and fumed and sputtered, and the gall was sprinkled abroad in air, and the thighs wasted and lay bared of their enclosing fat.

1007. mvp-comment-582-1 For σποδός, cp Ο. Τ. 21: Hdt. 4.35, τῶν μηρίων καταγιζομένων ἐπὶ τῷ βωμῷ τὴν σποδόν.

1009. mvp-comment-583-1 μετάρσιοι is supplementary predicate. The preposition in ἐξέκειντο is emphatic. Cp. Od. 23. 179, ἔνθα οἱ ἐκθεῖσαι πυκινὸν λέχος: Thuc. 4. 129. § 3. ἔτυχον ἐξεστρατοπεδευμένοι ἔξω τῆς πόλεως.

1010. mvp-comment-584-1 καταρρυεῖς is explained to mean Flowing down with moisture,' but means rather Fallen away. Cp. Paus. 10. 2, 6 (L. and S s. ν. καταρρέω 1. 4), νεκροῦ κατερρυηκότος τὰς σάρκας.

1011. mvp-comment-585-1 The apparently active use of καλυπτῆς comes from καλύπτειν, in the sense of placing as a covering, i. e.

1011. mvp-comment-585-2 καλύπτειν πιμελὴν μηροῖς. For the meaning, cp. Aesch. Pr. 496, foll., κνισῇ τε κώλα συγκαλυπτά· καὶ μακρὰν | ὀσφὺν πυρώσας, δυστέκμαρτον ἐς τέχνην | ὥδωσα θνητούς· καὶ φλογωπὰ σήματα | ἐξωμμάτωσα, πρόσθεν ὄντ᾽ ἐπάργεμα.

1013. mvp-comment-586-1 Such failing tokens given by baffling auspices. Lit. Of victims giving no sign. Cp. Ps. 74. 9. We see not our signs; there is no more any prophet. φθίνοντα μαντεύματα are not Prophecies of decay,' but Rites of divination fading away, i. e. losing their virtue. Cp. Ο. Τ. 902, φθίνοντα.. Λαΐου | θέσφατα.

1015. mvp-comment-587-1 τῆς σῆς ἐκ φρενός From thy will. Cp. infr. 1063, ὡς μὴ ᾿μπολήσων ἴσθι τὴν ἐμὴν φρένα.

1016. mvp-comment-588-1 ἐσχάραι τε παντελεῖς And all the number of our sacred hearths. παντελεῖς is little more than πᾶσαι, but expresses that the word ἐσχάραι added to βωμοί comprises every consecrated spot in the whole city. Cp. El. 982, ἔν θ᾽ ἑορταῖς ἔν τε πανδήμῳ πόλει.

1017. mvp-comment-589-1 πλήρεις Infected. Cp. 1052.

1017. mvp-comment-589-2 πλήρης = ἀνάπλεως. Cp. infr. 1052: Phil. 1087-1088, ὦ πληρέστατον αὔλιον | λύπας τᾶς ἀπ᾿ ἐμοῦ. For the general notion, cp. Webster, Appius and Virg. p. 165, ed. Dyce, Come, you birds of death | And fill your greedy cups with human flesh; | Then to the city fly, disgorge it there | Before the senate, and from thence arise | A plague to choke all Rome. Join ὑπὸ .. βορᾶς, not as some edd. πλήρεις.. βορᾶς. By the act of dogs and birds in feeding, etc. So Ellendt. Cp. infr. 1083.

1021. mvp-comment-590-1 εὐσήμους Giving clear augury, opposed to ἄσημος supra 1013.

1021. mvp-comment-590-2 ἀπορροιβδεῖ Utters noisily. The word is not strictly applicable to the screaming of birds. But there is the same indefiniteness about words expressing sound as about the names of colours. This word, expressing a confused noise, is probably suggested by l. 1004.

1022. mvp-comment-591-1 After feeding on the fatness of human carnage.' On the change from singular to plural, see Essay on Language § 36. p. 65.

1025. mvp-comment-592-1 ἐπεὶ δ᾽ ἁμάρτῃ For ἄν omitted, see Essay on. L. § 27. p. 44.

1026. mvp-comment-593-1 ἄνολβος here and in Aj. 1156 (τοιαῦτ᾽ ἄνολβον ἄνδρ᾽ ἐνουθέτει παρών) is a word of blame- Infatuated.'

1029. mvp-comment-594-1 εἶκε τῷ θανόντι Relent towards the dead.

1030. mvp-comment-595-1 ἐπικτανεῖν Το slay a second time.' For the meaning of ἐπί, cp.

1030. mvp-comment-595-2 ἐπεμβάλλω, ἐπιγαμέω, ἐπιπέμπω. For the idea, cp. II. 24. 54: Plat. Rep. 5. 469 D, E. 6 1031. (1) After careful consideration I speak to you with good heed. εὐ, Carefully,' as in O. T. 308, supr. 410, alib. Or (2) εὖ σοι φρ., Meaning well to thee.

1032. mvp-comment-596-1 εἰ κέρδος λέγοι For the optative, see Essay on Language § 36. p. 61, γ, α (1). φέρει or φέροι seems also to be an early reading.