Sophocles Antigone 223

Thomas Francklin (Translator)

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Tiresias
1064

E«member this :

Not many days shall the bright sun perform

His stated course, ere, sprung from thy own loins,
1065

Thyself shall yield a victim. In thy turn

Thou too shalt weep, for that thy cruel sentence

Decreed a guiltless virgin to the tomb,

And kept on earth, unmindful of the gods,

Ungraced, unburied, an unhallowed corse.
1070

Which not to thee, nor to the gods above

Of right belonged. 'Twas arbitrary power :

But the avenging furies lie concealed.

The minister of death have spread the snare,

And with like woes await to punish thee.
1075

Do I say this from hopes of promised gold ?

Pass but a little time, and thou shalt hear

The shrieks of men, the women's loud laments

O'er all thy palace ; see th' offended people

Together rage ; thy cities all by dogs
1080

And beasts and birds polluted, and the stench

Of filth obscene on every altar laid.

Thus from my angry soul have I sent forth

Its keenest arrows — for thou hast provoked me—

Nor shall they fly in vain, or thou escape
1085

The destined blow. Now, boy, conduct me home,

On younger heads the tempest of his rage

Shall fall ; but, henceforth let him learn to speak

In humbler terms, and bear a better mind.

Oreon, Chorus.
1090

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)) — 223 focus

δύσπνους ἱκάνω κοῦφον ἐξάρας πόδα.

Greek (A. Boeckh, 1884) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (A. Boeckh, 1884)) — 223 focus

ψυχὴ γὰρ ηὔδα πολλά μοι μυθουμένη·

Greek (F. H. Bothe, 1806) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (F. H. Bothe, 1806)) — 223 focus

πολλὰς γὰρ εὗρον φροντίδων ἐπιστάσεις,

Greek (Lewis Campbell, 1879) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (Lewis Campbell, 1879)) — 223 focus

ἄναξ, ἐρῶ μὲν οὐχ ὅπως τάχους ὕπο

Greek (A. Colonna, 1978) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (A. Colonna, 1978)) — 223 focus

ἄναξ, ἐρῶ μὲν οὐχ ὅπως τάχους ὕπο

Greek (A. Dain, 1955) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (A. Dain, 1955)) — 223.mvp-line-223 focus

ἄναξ, ἐρῶ μὲν οὐχ ὅπως τάχους ὕπο

Greek (R. D. Dawe, 1979) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (R. D. Dawe, 1979)) — 223 focus

ἄναξ, ἐρῶ μὲν οὐχ ὅπως τάχους ὕπο

Greek (G. Hermann, 1830) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (G. Hermann, 1830)) — 223 focus

ἄναξ, ἐρῶ μὲν οὐχ ὅπως τάχους ὕπο

Greek (R. C. Jebb, 1906) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (R. C. Jebb, 1906)) — 223 focus

ἄναξ, ἐρῶ μὲν οὐχ ὅπως τάχους ὕπο

Greek (A. C. Pearson, 1924) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (A. C. Pearson, 1924)) — 223.mvp-line-223 focus

ἄναξ, ἐρῶ μὲν οὐχ ὅπως σπουδῆς ὕπο

Antigone (OCR draft) Experimental (Antigone) — 223 focus

ἄναξ, ἐρῶ μὲν οὐχ ὅπως τάχους ὕπο

Greek (K. Reinhardt, 1949) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (K. Reinhardt, 1949)) — 223 focus

ἄναξ, ἐρῶ μὲν οὐχ ὅπως τάχους ὕπο

Translations (9)

German (A. Boeckh, 1884) (OCR draft) Experimental (German (A. Boeckh, 1884)) — 223 focus

TEIRESIAS.

Die beutst du, sagend Lüge sei mein Seherwort.

Spanish (J. A. Bolufer, 1921) (OCR draft) Experimental (Spanish (J. A. Bolufer, 1921)) — 223 focus

TIRESIAS

Ahora y antes creo que hablo en interés tuyo.

Latin (F. H. Bothe, 1806) (OCR draft) Experimental (Latin (F. H. Bothe, 1806)) — 223 focus

Creon

1064 Nam scito, prudentiam tibi meam quaestui non fore.

English (Lewis Campbell, 1906) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Lewis Campbell, 1906)) — 223 focus

CR

I know it, and it shakes me to the core.
1095

To yield is dreadful: but resistingly

To face the blow of fate, is full of dread.

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)) — 223 focus

TÍRESIAS

Cuán superior y preferible es la prudencia á todos los bienes del mundo.

German (F. Hölderlin, 1804) (OCR draft) Experimental (German (F. Hölderlin, 1804)) — 223 focus

KREON

Ich weiß es selbst, und bin verwirrt im Sinn ;

Denn weichen, ist ein Grofses. Doch wenn einer

Mit Wahn mir aufden Muthtritt, wird dasschwierig.

English (Sir Richard Jebb1, 1904) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Sir Richard Jebb1, 1904)) — 223 focus

Teiresias

Then know thou—aye, know it well—that thou shalt not live through many more courses of the sun’s swift chariot, ere one begotten of thine own loins shall have been given by thee, a corpse for corpses; because thou hast thrust children of the sunlight to the shades, 1070 and ruthlessly lodged a living soul in the grave; but keepest in this world one who belongs to the gods infernal, a corpse unburied, unhonoured, all unhallowed. In such thou hast no part, nor have the gods above, but this is a violence done to them by thee. Therefore the avenging destroyers lie in wait for thee, the Furies of Hades and of the gods, that thou mayest be taken in these same ills.

And mark well if I speak these things as a hireling. A time not long to be delayed shall awaken the wailing of men and of women in thy house. And a tumult of 1080 hatred against thee stirs all the cities whose mangled sons had the burial-rite from dogs, or from wild beasts, or from some winged bird that bore a polluting breath to each city that contains the hearths of the dead.

Such arrows for thy heart—since thou provokest me —have I launched at thee, archer-like, in my anger,— sure arrows, of which thou shalt not escape the smart.— Boy, lead me home, that he may spend his rage on younger men, and learn to keep a tongue more temperate, 1090 and to bear within his breast a better mind than now he bears. Exit TEIRESIAS.

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-640-1 ἀλλ’ εὺ= γέ τοι ¹

mvp-comment-640-2 μη … τελῶν ² ἥλιον τελεῖν ³ κάτισθι ⁴ τελῶν ⁵

mvp-comment-640-3 τρόχους ⁶ τροχους ⁷

mvp-comment-640-4 ἁμιλλητῆρας ⁸

mvp-comment-641-1 ἐν οἷσι ⁹

mvp-comment-641-2 τῶν σῶν … ἐκ σπλάγχνων ἕνα ¹⁰

mvp-comment-642-1 νέκυν νεκρῶν ¹¹ ἀντιδοὺς ἔσει ¹²

mvp-comment-643-1 ἀνθ’ ὧν ¹³

mvp-comment-643-2 ἔχεις βαλὼν κάτω τῶν ἄνω ¹⁴

mvp-comment-644-1 Bothe, omitting τε ¹⁵ ψυχήν ¹⁶ τῶν ἄνω ¹⁷ τῶν ἄνω ¹⁸ τῶν ἄνω … ψυχήν ¹⁹ ψυχήν τ’ … κατῴκισας ²⁰ ἀνθ’ ὧν ²¹ τῶν ἄνω ²²

mvp-comment-644-2 ἀτίμως ²³

mvp-comment-645-1 ἔχεις δέ ²⁴ τῶν κάτωθεν θεῶν ²⁵ νέκυν ²⁶

mvp-comment-645-2 ἄμοιρον ²⁷

mvp-comment-645-3

κ. θεῶν

with

ἄμοιρον

: ‘without a portion in the gods below,’ i.e., not admitted to communion with them. But the phrase is a strange one; and the leading thought here is that the

νέρτεροι

are robbed of one who belongs to them.

mvp-comment-645-4 ἀκτέριστον ²⁸

mvp-comment-645-5 ἀνόσιον ²⁹

mvp-comment-646-1 ὧν ³⁰

mvp-comment-646-2 βιάζονται ³¹

mvp-comment-647-1 τούτων ³²

mvp-comment-647-2 λωβητῆρες ³³

mvp-comment-647-3 ὑστεροφθόροι ³⁴

mvp-comment-648-1 λοχῶσιν ³⁵

mvp-comment-648-2 Ἅιδου καὶ θεῶν ³⁶

mvp-comment-648-3 ληφθῆναι ³⁷

mvp-comment-649-1 κατηργ. ³⁸ οὐ μακρ. χρόν. τριβή ³⁹ φανεῖ ⁴⁰

mvp-comment-650-1 The πόλεις ⁴¹ συνταράσσονται ⁴²

mvp-comment-650-2 It has been objected that the play contains no hint of burial having been denied to any one except Polyneices. This is not exactly the case: the phrase

τῶν ἐχθρῶν κακά

in v. 10 is such a hint. But it was unnecessary for the poet to state a fact which all his hearers would assume. Every one knew how Creon had refused burial to the Argives, and how Theseus had recovered their corpses by force of arms. In the Supplices of Eur. the Chorus consists of widows and mothers of the unburied warriors. No Athenian exploit was more famous ( Her. 9.27 ; Isocr. Paneg. § 52 , Encom. Helen. § 31, Panath. § 168; Plat. Menex. 244 ; [Lys. ] or. 2 §§ 4 ff. : [Dem. ] or. 60 §§ 7 ff. ). The war of the Epigoni, which was included in the epic Thebais ( Paus. 9. 9 § 5), was dramatised both by Aesch. and by Soph. (

Ἐπίγονοι

).

mvp-comment-650-3 Just as, in the O. C. (1410 n.), Soph. glances at the theme of his Antigone, so here he might naturally glance—however indirectly—at a later chapter of the Theban story,—whether his Epigoni already existed, or was still in the future. Dramatically, the reference is the more fitting, since the legend represented Teiresias as still living, and still zealous for Theban welfare, when the Epigoni came.—For other views of the passage, see Appendix.

mvp-comment-651-1 ὅσων ⁴³ ὅσων ⁴⁴

mvp-comment-651-2 L's καθήγνισαν ⁴⁵ καθήγισαν ⁴⁶ καθήγνισαν ⁴⁷ καθήγισαν ⁴⁸

mvp-comment-651-3 of

καθήγισαν

here. The Schol. read the latter (

μετὰ ἄγους ἐκόμισαν

). But the fact that L has

καθήγνισαν

must be set against these doubtful testimonies.—For the irony, cp. El. 1487

πρόθες | ταφεῦσιν, ὧν τόνδ’ εἰκός ἐστι τυγχάνειν

(as Gorgias called vultures

ἔμψυχοι τάφοι

,

λονγιν. π. ὕψους

3 § 2): Aesch. Th. 1020

ὑπ’ οἰωνῶν ... | ταφέντ’ ἀτίμως

: Ennius Ann. 142

volturu' crudeli condebat membra sepulcro:

Lucr. 5. 993

viva videns vivo sepeliri viscera busto.

mvp-comment-652-1 ἑστιοῦχον … πόλιν ⁴⁹

mvp-comment-653-1 σου ⁵⁰ ἀφῆκα ⁵¹

mvp-comment-653-2 θυμῷ ⁵² καρδίας τοξεύματα ⁵³

mvp-comment-654-1 ὦ παῖ ⁵⁴

mvp-comment-655-1 τρέφειν ⁵⁵

mvp-comment-655-2 ἡσυχωτέραν ⁵⁶ ω ⁵⁷ αι ⁵⁸ αι ⁵⁹ ω ⁶⁰ ω ⁶¹ αι ⁶² αι ⁶³

mvp-comment-656-1 τὸν νοῦν … τῶν φρενῶν ἀμείνω ⁶⁴

mvp-comment-656-2 φέρει ⁶⁵ τῶν φρενῶν ⁶⁶ ἀμείνω ⁶⁷ ἢ ⁶⁸ ὧν ⁶⁹

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

1064. mvp-comment-614-1 μή See Essay on Language § 29. p. 49, с.

1065. mvp-comment-615-1 τρόχους ἁμιλλητῆρας ἡλίου Not many swift courses of the sun; i. e. The days will be short, and few. On the condensation of time in this play, see Introduction. Cp. Milton, Sonnet 7. My hasting days fly on with full career: Shakespeare, Sonnet 60, Like as the waves make towards the pebbled shore, | So do our minutes hasten to their end; | Each changing place with that which goes before, In sequent toil all forwards do contend.

1065. mvp-comment-615-2 τροχούς would mean, 'Not many turns of the sun's chariot wheel.'

1066. mvp-comment-616-1 ἐν οἷσι The regular construction after the negative would be πρὶν ἀντιδοῦναι: but the sentence takes an affirmative turn, and is continued as if the beginning were ὀλίγαι ἡμέραι ἔσονται .. ἐν ais. Essay on Language § 36. p. 64. Ср. О. С. 617 ff. μυρίας μυρίος | χρόνος τεκνοῦται νύκτας ἡμέρας τ᾿ ἰὼν | ἐν αἷς, κ.τ.λ. δ

1067. mvp-comment-617-1 νεκρῶν ἀμοιβόν For a kindred fancy, cp. Aesch. Agam. 437, ὁ χρυσαμοιβὸς δ' Ἄρης σωμάτων | καὶ ταλαντοῦχος ἐν μάχῃ δορός, κ.τ.λ.

1068. mvp-comment-618-1 ἀνθ᾽ ὧν The antecedent is to be gathered from νεκρῶν in l. 1067.

1068. mvp-comment-618-2 τῶν ἄνω Sc. τινά: i. e. Antigone.

1069. mvp-comment-619-1 ἀτίμως i. e. εἰς ἀτιμίαν. See Essay on Language § 24. p. 40.

1070. mvp-comment-620-1 i.e. ἔχεις δὲ αὐ ἐνθάδε, ἄμοιρον τῶν κάτωθεν θεῶν. On the order of words, see Essay on Language pp. 66, 67.

1071. mvp-comment-621-1 ἀκτέριστον, ἀνόσιον Without funeral rites, and unsanctified. Cp. Shakespeare, Hamlet, 1. 5,

Unhouseled, disappointed, unaneled.

1073. mvp-comment-622-1 βιάζονται (1) Sc. οἱ ἄνω θεοί, to whom it was an offence to have a dead body intruded into their realm: or, (2) the gods generally, including θεῶν in 1070, as well as θεοῖσιν in 1072. In support of the former interpretation (1), Mr. Evelyn Abbott has adduced Lys. 2. 7, Ἀδράστου δὲ καὶ Πολυνείκους ἐπὶ Θήβας στρατευσάντων καὶ ἡττηθέντων μάχῃ, οὐκ ἐώντων Καδμείων θάπτειν τοὺς νέκρους, Ἀθηναῖοι ἡγησάμενοι ἐκείνους μέν, εἴ τι ἠδίκουν, ἀποθανόντας δίκην ἔχειν τὴν μεγίστην, τοὺς δὲ κάτω τὰ VOL. I. Nn αὑτῶν οὐ κομίζεσθαι, ἱερῶν δὲ μιαινομένων τοὺς ἄνω θεοὺς ἀσεβεῖσθαι, κ.τ.λ.

1078. mvp-comment-623-1 φανεῖ Sc. ταῦτα, i. e. the truth of 11. 1074-1076. The cry of men and women in thy halls shall declare it ere long. For φαίνω in this sense, cp. O. C. 721, φαίνειν ἔπη. For the ellipse, οὐ μακροῦ χρόνου τριβή, sc. ἐγγενήσεται πρὶν ἂν φήνῃ αὐτό, cp. supr. 1. 577. This is more probable than the other explanation, which is certainly possible, A little while will bring forth lamentations, etc. Some MSS. have τριβή, i.e. τριβῇ.

1079. mvp-comment-624-1 For ἀνδρῶν γυναικῶν, cp. Aristoph. Ran. 157, θιάσους εὐδαίμονας | ἀνδρῶν γυναικῶν.

1080. mvp-comment-625-1 And all cities are (even now) being stirred up in leagued enmity (to Thebes), whose mangled citizens have found burial in being devoured by dogs, or by wild beasts, or by some winged bird, that bears an unholy savour into a city and its sacred hearths. This is probably intended by Sophocles as a prophecy of the war with the Epigoni, of which the seeds are said to be laid by the abomination of some bird carrying an inauspicious odour home. It is assumed, although not mentioned elsewhere in the play, that the bodies of the allies of Polynices had shared his fate, as there had been no truce for burying the dead. This is part of the legend as appears from the Supplices of Euripides. For the expression, cp. Aesch. S. c. T. 1020, οὕτω πετηνῶν τόνδ' ὑπ᾽ οἰωνῶν δοκεῖ | ταφέντ᾽ ἀτίμως τοὐπι· τίμιον λαβεῖν : Soph. El. 1487, καὶ κτανὼν πρόθες | ταφεῦσιν ὧν τόνδ' εἰκός ἐστι τυγχάνειν: Gorg. ap. Long. 3. 2, γῦπες ἔμψυχοι τάφοι: Shaksp. Macbeth, 3. 4,

Our monuments | Shall be the maws of kites.

The conceit is common with the Elizabethan dramatists. Seyffert's conjecture, ὅσαν τὰ πράγματ' ἢ κύνες καθήγνισαν, Whose business has been marred with pollution by dogs, etc., is rather pointless, and gives a very doubtful meaning to καθαγνίζειν = To affect with pollution. It is uncertain whether καθήγνισαν or καθήγισαν is the right word. The latter is somewhat more probable as the Ionic form. Cp. ἁγίζω.

1083. mvp-comment-626-1 ἑστιοῦχον ἐς πόλιν i. e. Not into the wastes, where such pollution can do no harm, but to a city, where it tends to injure the sacred fire on the public and private hearths, which are the pledge of safety to the citizens. Boeckh objects to the above interpretation of 11. 1080 ff., and supposes them to contain a general maxim pointed at the case of Thebes. Any state is sure to rise in enmity in which a mangled corse has been devoured, etc.

1084. mvp-comment-627-1 Such arrows like a bowman have I launched at you in wrath, for you provoke me, arrows that pierce the heart and fasten there, whose smart you will not escape.' He echoes ll. 1033, foll. καρδίας is objective genitive after the verbal notion in τοξεύματα.

1090. mvp-comment-628-1 τὸν νοῦν.. τῶν φρενῶν The spirit of his thoughts. Cp. γνώμη φρενῶν, Ο. Τ. 524: infr. 1228, τίνα | νοῦν ἔσχες;