Sophocles Antigone 47

Thomas Francklin (Translator)

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Creon

Be silent, ere my rage,
280

Thou rash old man, pronounce thee fool and dotard ;

Horrid suggestion ! Think'st thou, then, the gods \

Take care of men like these? Would they preserve

Or honour him who came to burn their altars,

Profane their rites, and trample on their laws ?
285

Will they reward the bad? it cannot be.

But well I know the murmuring citizens

Brooked not our mandate, shook their heads in

secret.
290

And, ill-affected to me, would not stoop

Their haughty crests, or bend beneath my yoke.

By hire corrupted, some of these have dared

The venturous deed. ( Gold is the worst of ills ^

That ever plagued mankind :^this wastes our cities,
295

Diives forth their natives to a foreign soil,

Taints the pure heart, and turns the virtuous mind

To basest deeds ) artificer of fraud

Supreme, and source of every wickedness. ^
300

The wretch corrupted for this hateful purpose

Must one day suffer ; foi-, observe me well.

As I revere that power by whom I swear,

Almighty Jove, if you conceal him from me.

If to my eyes you do not bring the traitor.

Know, death alone shall not suffice to glut

My vengeance ; Uving shall you hang in torments

Till you confess, till you have learned from me

There is a profit not to be desired.
310

And own dishonest gains have ruined more

Than they have saved.

O king ! may I depart,

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)) — 47 focus

ὦ σχετλία, Κρέοντος ἀντειρηκότος;

Greek (A. Boeckh, 1884) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (A. Boeckh, 1884)) — 47 focus

ὦ σχετλία, Κρέοντος ἀντειρηκότος;

Greek (F. H. Bothe, 1806) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (F. H. Bothe, 1806)) — 47 focus

ὦ σχετλία, Κρέοντος ἀντειρηκότος;

Greek (Lewis Campbell, 1879) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (Lewis Campbell, 1879)) — 47 focus

ὦ σχετλία, Κρέοντος ἀντειρηκότος;

Greek (A. Colonna, 1978) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (A. Colonna, 1978)) — 47 focus

ὦ σχετλία, Κρέοντος ἀντειρηκότος;

Greek (A. Dain, 1955) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (A. Dain, 1955)) — 47.mvp-line-47 focus

ὦ σχετλία, Κρέοντος ἀντειρηκότος;

Greek (R. D. Dawe, 1979) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (R. D. Dawe, 1979)) — 47 focus

ὦ σχετλία, Κρέοντος ἀντειρηκότος;

Greek (G. Hermann, 1830) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (G. Hermann, 1830)) — 47 focus

ὦ σχετλία, Κρέοντος ἀντειρηκότος;

Greek (R. C. Jebb, 1906) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (R. C. Jebb, 1906)) — 47 focus

ὦ σχετλία, Κρέοντος ἀντειρηκότος ;

Greek (A. C. Pearson, 1924) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (A. C. Pearson, 1924)) — 47.mvp-line-47 focus

ὦ σχετλία, Κρέοντος ἀντειρηκότος;

Antigone (OCR draft) Experimental (Antigone) — 47 focus

ὦ σχετλία, Κρέοντος ἀντειρηκότος;

Greek (K. Reinhardt, 1949) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (K. Reinhardt, 1949)) — 47 focus

ὦ σχετλία, Κρέοντος ἀντειρηκότος;

Translations (10)

German (A. Boeckh, 1884) (OCR draft) Experimental (German (A. Boeckh, 1884)) — 47 focus

WÄCHTER

So sag' ich dir's denn: eben hat den Todten wer

bestattet und sich dann entfernt, als trocknen Staub

er aufgestreut dem Körper nebst den andern Weihn.

Spanish (J. A. Bolufer, 1921) (OCR draft) Experimental (Spanish (J. A. Bolufer, 1921)) — 47 focus

El Centinela

No sé. Allí no se ven señales de golpes de azada, ni de que el suelo haya sido removido con la ligona. La tierra está dura y apretada, sin carriles de que haya pasado ningún carro. Quien lo haya hecho, no ha dejado huella. Cuando el primer vigia vigía de la ma- ñana nos ha dado la noticia, triste asombro se apoderó de todos. El cadáver no se veia veía; pero no estaba sepultado, sino cubierto de ligero polvo, como para evitar el sacrilegio. Ni señales de fiera ni de perro que viniese y lo hubiese destrozado se veian veían tampoco. Palabras maliciosas susurran entonces por los oidos oídos de todos; un centinela acusaba a otro, y aquello hubiera acabado en lucha, sin que hubiera nadie que lo impidiese. Cada uno creía que era el otro el que lo había hecho, y nadie confesaba, sino que todos negaban. Estábamos ya dispuestos a [la prueba de] tomar el hierro candente en las manos y pasar por el fuego y jurar por los dioses que ni lo habíamos hecho ni nos habiamos habíamos confabulado con quien lo hubiese proyectado ni con el que lo habia había hecho. Por fin, cuando nada nos quedaba ya por examinar, habló uno que a todos nos hizo inclinar la cara al suelo de miedo, porque no podiamos podíamos ni contradecirle ni proponerle cómo lo hariamos haríamos para salir bien. Fué Fue su proposición que se te debía comunicar el hecho y no ocultártelo; ella venció, y a mí, como más desgraciado, tocó la suerte para encargarme de esta hermosa comisión. Aqui Aquí me tienes contra mi voluntad y contra la tuya, lo sé; pues nadie estima al portador de malas noticias.

Latin (F. H. Bothe, 1806) (OCR draft) Experimental (Latin (F. H. Bothe, 1806)) — 47 focus

Custos

Nescio: ibi enim neque ligone quid erat caesum, neque bidente effossum, sed et dura terra, etinfracta, nec plaustri sulcata rotis, ita ut nullo signo facti auctor cognosci posset. Ubi vero nobis rem ostendit primus diurnus speculator, omnibus triste miraculum visum est: ille enim non conspiciebatur, nec tamen tumulo conditus erat, sed tenuis superiniectus erat pulvis, ut ab aliquo piaculum fugiente: signa vero neque ferae, neque canis cuiusquam adparebant, qui venisset et cadaver lacerasset. Tum acerba dicta inter nos vigiles iactari coeperunt, alio alium arguente; et res tandem ad verbera venisset: nemo enim erat qui rixam componeret; quippe unusquisque aliis videbatur facinoris auctor, nec tamen quisquam manifestus erat: sed omnes scire se negabant. Parati quoque eramus candens ferrum manibus: tollere, perque flammas transire, et deos adiurare, nos neque fecisse, neque cuiquam esse conscios qui facinus vel meditatus fuerit, vel patraverit. Denique quum scrutando nihil proficeremus, fari infit unus nostrum, cuius ad sermonem metu perculiad solum omnes capita demisimus: neque enim poteramus contradicere, neque aliud quid excogitare, quod facto nobis usus esset. Dixit autem ille, rem omnem ad te referendam, nec celandam esse. Atque haec vicit sententia, sortesque hoc commodi accipere me infelicem damnarunt. Adsum igitur invitus apud invitos, scio. Diligit enimi nemo malae rei nuntium.

English (Lewis Campbell, 1906) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Lewis Campbell, 1906)) — 47 focus

WATCH

I cannot tell. There was no mark to show—

No dint of spade, or mattock-loosened sod,—

Only the hard bare ground, untilled and trackless.
250

Whoe’er he was, the doer left no trace.

And, when the scout of our first daylight watch

Showed us the thing, we marvelled in dismay.

The Prince was out of sight; not in a grave,

But a thin dust was o’er him, as if thrown
255

By one who shunned the dead man’s curse. No sign

Appeared of any hound or beast o’ the field

Having come near, or pulled at the dead body.

Then rose high words among us sentinels

With bickering noise accusing each his mate,

And it seemed like to come to blows, with none
260

To hinder. For the hand that thus had wrought

Was any of ours, and none; the guilty man

Escaped all knowledge. And we were prepared

To lift hot iron with our bare palms; to walk

Through fire, and swear by all the Gods at once
265

That we were guiltless, ay, and ignorant

Of who had plotted or performed this thing.

When further search seemed bootless, at the last

One spake, whose words bowed all our heads to the earth

With fear. We knew not what to answer him,

Nor how to do it and prosper. He advised
270

So grave a matter must not be concealed,

But instantly reported to the King.

Well, this prevailed, and the lot fell on me,

Unlucky man! to be the ministrant

Of this fair service. So I am present here,
275

Against my will and yours, I am sure of that.

None love the bringer of unwelcome news.

German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review) (OCR draft) Experimental (German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review)) — 39 focus

Was kann ich, wenn dies also steht, Unselige,¹

Hier, lösend oder bindend, uns zum Frommen thun?
40

Antigone.

Sieh, ob du helfen, ob die Mühe theilen wirst

Ismene.

Bei welchem Unterfangen? Wo geräthst du hin?

Antigone.

Ob du den Todten, mir gesellt, aufnehmen willst!

Ismene.

Ihn denn bestatten willst du, dem Verbot zum Troz?

Antigone.

Ja, meinen Bruder und den deinen, wenn auch du
45

Nicht willst; denn niemals soll man mich Verrathes zeih'n!²

Ismene.

Tollkühne, während Kreon's Wort es dir verwehrt?

Antigone.

Fern halten darf mich dieser nie von meiner Pflicht.

Ismene.

Weh mir! Bedenk', o Schwester, wie der Vater uns,

Mit Haß und Hohn belastet, ruhmlos unterging,
50

Nachdem er selbst um Gräuel, die er selbst enthüllt,

Der Augen Sterne sich zerriß mit eigner Hand;

Wie dann die Mutter, Mutter ihm und Weib zugleich,

Schmachvoll mit frevlem Strange sich das Leben nahm;

Zum dritten, wie die Brüder beid' an Einem Tag
55

Im Wechselmord sich ein gemeinsam Todesloos,

Die Armen, schufen, Einer durch des Andern Hand!

Wir sind allein jezt übrig; du bedenke denn,

Wie schmählich wir verdürben, wenn wir wider Necht

Der Herrscher Ausspruch und Gewalt mißachteten.
60

Wohl mußt du doch erwägen, daß wir Frauen sind,

Und nicht geschaffen, Männern kühn im Kampf zu steh'n,

Dann aber, daß wir, weil beherrscht von Stärkeren,

Hier folgen müssen und sogar in Härterem.

Drum will ich jene, die der Erde Schooß verbirgt,³
65

Anfleh'n um Nachsicht, weil Gewalt mich bindet hier,

Und ihm gehorchen, dem die Macht geworden ist;

Denn Unverstand ist's, über seine Kraft zu thun.

Spanish (A. G. Garbin, 1889) (OCR draft) Experimental (Spanish (A. G. Garbin, 1889)) — 47 focus

CREONTE

¿Acabarás de hablar al fin, para que te retires cuanto antes de mi vista?

German (F. Hölderlin, 1804) (OCR draft) Experimental (German (F. Hölderlin, 1804)) — 47 focus

DER BOTE

Undenklich. Nirgend war von einem Karst

Ein Schlag; und nicht der Stofs von einerSchaufel,
260

Und dicht das Land; der Boden ungegraben ;

Von Rädern nicht befahren. Zeichenlos war

Der Meister, und wie das der erste Tagesblik

Anzeigte, kams unhold uns all’an, wie ein Wunder.

Nichts feierlichs. Es war kein Grabmal nicht.
265

Nur zarter Staub, wie wenn man das Verbot

Gescheut. Und auch des Wilds Fufstritte nirgend nicht,

Noch eines Hundes, der gekommen und zerrissen.

Und schlimme Worte fuhren durcheinander.

Ein Wächter klagt den andern an; und fast
270

Gekommen wärs zu Streichen. Niemand war,

Der abgewehrt. Denn jeder schien, als hätt’

Für es gethan, doch keiner offenbar,

Und jeder wulfst’ etwas für sich zu sagen.

Wir waren aber bereit, mit Händen glühend Eisen
275

Zu nehmen und durch Feuer zu gehn und bei den Göttern

Zu schwören, dass wir nichts gethan, und dass wir

Von dem nichts wufsten, welcher das Geschehne

Berathschlagt oder ausgeführt. Zulezt,

Als weiter nichts zu forschen war, spricht einer,
280

Der alle dahin brachte, dass das Haupt

Zu Boden ihnen sank, aus Furcht, denn nichts

Dagegen wulsten wir, noch auch, wie wir

Es schön vollbrächten, und es hiefs, man müsse

Die That anzeigen, dir es nicht verbergen.
285

Und dieses siegt’, und mich den Geisterlosen

Erliest das Loos, dass die Gewissenhaftigkeit

Ich hab’ und bin zugegen, wider Willen;

Ich weiss, ich bin es vor Unwilligen,

Denn niemand liebt den Boten schlimmer Worte.
290

English (Sir Richard Jebb1, 1904) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Sir Richard Jebb1, 1904)) — 47 focus

Guard

I know not; no stroke of pickaxe was seen 250 there, no earth thrown up by mattock ; the ground was hard and dry, unbroken, without track of wheels; the doer was one who had left no trace. And when the first day-watchman showed it to us, sore wonder fell on all. The dead man was veiled from us; not shut within a tomb, but lightly strewn with dust, as by the hand of one who shunned a curse. And no sign met the eye as though any beast of prey or any dog had come nigh to him, or torn him. Then evil words flew fast and loud among us, guard 260 accusing guard ; and it would e’en have come to blows at last, nor was there any to hinder. Every man was tye od? the culprit, and no one was convicted, but all disclaimed knowledge of the deed. And we were ready to take red-hot iron in our hands ;—to walk through fire ;—to make oath by the gods that we had not done the deed, —that we were not privy to the planning or the doing, At last, when all our searching was fruitless, one spake, who made us all bend our faces on the earth in 270 fear; for we saw not how we could gainsay him, or escape mischance if we obeyed. His counsel was that this deed must be reported to thee, and not hidden. And this seemed best ; and the lot doomed my hapless self to win this prize. So here I stand,—as unwelcome as unwilling, well I wot; for no man delights in the bearer of bad news.

English (Robert Potter, 1788) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Robert Potter, 1788)) — 47 focus

Chorus
471

This daring spirit from her daring sire

English (Sir Richard Jebb2, 1904) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Sir Richard Jebb2, 1904)) — 1-98 focus

1

Antigone

Ismene, my sister, true child of my own mother, do you know any evil out of all the evils bequeathed by Oedipus that Zeus will not fulfil for the two of us in our lifetime? There is nothing—no pain, no ruin,
1

no shame, nor dishonor—that I have not seen in your sufferings and mine. And now what is this new edict that they say the general has just decreed to all the city? Do you know anything? Have you heard? Or does it escape you that
5

evils from our enemies are on the march against our friends?
10

Ismene

To me no word of our friends, Antigone, either bringing joy or bringing pain has come since we two were robbed of our two brothers who died in one day by a double blow.

And since the Argive army has fled during this night, I have learned nothing further, whether better fortune is mine, or further ruin.
15

Antigone

I knew it well, so I was trying to bring you outside the courtyard gates to this end, that you alone might hear.

Ismene

Hear what? It is clear that you are brooding on some dark news.
20

Antigone

Why not? Has not Creon destined our brothers, the one to honored burial, the other to unburied shame? Eteocles, they say, with due observance of right and custom, he has laid in the earth

for his honor among the dead below. As for the poor corpse of Polyneices, however, they say that an edict has been published to the townsmen that no one shall bury him or mourn him, but instead leave him unwept, unentombed, for the birds a pleasing store
25

as they look to satisfy their hunger. Such, it is said, is the edict that the good Creon has laid down for you and for me—yes, for me—and it is said that he is coming here to proclaim it for the certain knowledge of those who do not already know. They say that he does not conduct this business lightly,
30

but whoever performs any of these rites, for him the fate appointed is death by public stoning among the entire city. This is how things stand for you, and so you will soon show your nature, whether you are noble-minded, or the corrupt daughter of a noble line.
35

39

Ismene

Poor sister, if things have come to this, what would I

profit by loosening or tightening this knot?
40

Antigone

Consider whether you will share the toil and the task.

Ismene

What are you hazarding? What do you intend?

Antigone

Will you join your hand to mine in order to lift his corpse?

Ismene

You plan to bury him—when it is forbidden to the city?

Antigone

Yes, he is my brother, and yours too, even if you wish it otherwise. I will never be convicted of betraying him.
45

Ismene

Hard girl! Even when Creon has forbidden it?

Antigone

No, he has no right to keep me from my own.

Ismene

Ah, no! Think, sister, how our father

perished in hatred and infamy, when, because of the crimes that he himself detected, he smashed both his eyes with self-blinding hand; then his mother-wife, two names in one, with a twisted noose destroyed her life;
50

lastly, our two brothers in a single day, both unhappy murderers of their own flesh and blood, worked with mutual hands their common doom. And now we, in turn—we two who have been left all alone—consider how much more miserably we will be destroyed, if in defiance of the law
55

we transgress against an autocrat’s decree or his powers. No, we must remember, first, that ours is a woman’s nature, and accordingly not suited to battles against men; and next, that we are ruled by the more powerful, so that we must obey in these things and in things even more stinging.
60

I, therefore, will ask those below for pardon, since I am forced to this, and will obey those who have come to authority. It is foolish to do what is fruitless.
65

69

Antigone

I would not encourage you—no, nor, even if you were willing later,

would I welcome you as my partner in this action. No, be the sort that pleases you. I will bury him—it would honor me to die while doing that. I shall rest with him, loved one with loved one, a pious criminal. For the time is greater
70

that I must serve the dead than the living, since in that world I will rest forever. But if you so choose, continue to dishonor what the gods in honor have established.
75

Ismene

I do them no dishonor. But to act in violation of the citizens’ will—of that I am by nature incapable.

Antigone

You can make that your pretext! Regardless, I will go now to heap a tomb over the brother I love.
80

Ismene

Oh no, unhappy sister! I fear for you!

Antigone

Do not tremble for me. Straighten out your own destiny.

Ismene

Then at least disclose the deed to no one before you do it.

Conceal it, instead, in secrecy—and so, too, will I.
85

Antigone

Go on! Denounce it! You will be far more hated for your silence, if you fail to proclaim these things to everyone.

Ismene

You have a hot heart for chilling deeds.

Antigone

I know that I please those whom I am most bound to please.

Ismene

Yes, if you will also have the power. But you crave the impossible.
90

Antigone

Why then, when my strength fails, I will have finished.

Ismene

An impossible hunt should not be tried in the first place.

Antigone

If you mean that, you will have my hatred, and you will be subject to punishment as the enemy of the dead.

But leave me and the foolish plan I have authored to suffer this terrible thing, for I will not suffer anything so terrible that my death will lack honor.
95

Ismene

Go, then, if you so decide. And of this be sure: though your path is foolish, to your loved ones your love is straight and true. Exit Antigone on the spectators’ left. Ismene exits into the palace.

Commentary

Commentary (R. C. Jebb) (OCR draft) (Commentary (R. C. Jebb))

mvp-comment-149-1 πρὶν ὀργῆς καί με μεστῶσαι ¹ καί ² πρίν ³ μεστῶσαι ⁴ καί ⁵ με ⁶

mvp-comment-149-2 κἀμέ ⁷

mvp-comment-149-3 μεστῶσαι ⁸

mvp-comment-150-1 πότερον ⁹ ἔκρυπτον ¹⁰

mvp-comment-150-2 ἀμφικίονας ναούς ¹¹

mvp-comment-150-3 κἀναθήματα ¹²

mvp-comment-150-4 Her. 1.50 ; Thuc. 6.46 ; Isae. or. 7 § 41.) The wealth of Delphi in

ἀναθήματα

is already proverbial in Il. 9.404 ; at Thebes the

Ἰσμήνιον

( O. T. 21 ) also seems to have been rich in them. After

ἀνάθημα

the gen. denotes either

ὁ ἀναθείς

(as more oft.), or, as here, the divine owner.

mvp-comment-150-5 γῆν ἐκείνων ¹³ πυρώσων ¹⁴

mvp-comment-150-6 νόμους διασκεδῶν ¹⁵

mvp-comment-150-7 διασκεδῶν ¹⁶

mvp-comment-151-1 τοὺς κακοὺς τιμῶντας … θεούς; ¹⁷

mvp-comment-152-1 ταῦτα ¹⁸ μόλις φέροντες ¹⁹ καὶ πάλαι ²⁰

mvp-comment-152-2 πόλεως ἄνδρες ²¹

mvp-comment-152-3 ἐρρόθουν ²²

mvp-comment-152-4 ἐμοί ²³

mvp-comment-152-5 κάρα σείοντες ²⁴

mvp-comment-152-6 ὑπὸ ζυγῷ ²⁵

mvp-comment-152-7 λόφον ²⁶

mvp-comment-152-8 δικαίως ²⁷

mvp-comment-152-9 equal poise’ ( New Crat. 371).—

ὡς = ὥστε

( O. T. 84 ): στέργειν ²⁸

mvp-comment-153-1 τῶνδε ²⁹ ἐκ ³⁰

mvp-comment-153-2 τούτους, ³¹

mvp-comment-153-3 εἰργάσθαι ³² ἐξεπίσταμαι ³³ παρηγμένους ³⁴

mvp-comment-154-1 νόμισμ’ ³⁵

mvp-comment-154-2 ἔβλαστε ³⁶

mvp-comment-154-3 πορθεῖ ³⁷

mvp-comment-154-4 τόδ’ ³⁸ ἄνδρας ³⁹

mvp-comment-155-1 τόδ’ ἐκδ. καὶ παραλλάσσει ⁴⁰ ἵστασθαι ⁴¹ καὶ παραλλάσσει ⁴²

mvp-comment-155-2 ἵστασθαι πρός τι ⁴³

mvp-comment-156-1 πανουργίας … ἔχειν ⁴⁴

mvp-comment-156-2 εἰδέναι ⁴⁵ παντὸς ἔργου δυσσέβ. ⁴⁶ παντὸς ἔργ ⁴⁷ πανουργίας ⁴⁸

mvp-comment-157-1 ἤνυσαν ⁴⁹

mvp-comment-157-2 χρόνῳ ποτέ ⁵⁰ δοῦναι δίκην ⁵¹

mvp-comment-157-3 ἐξέπραξαν ὡς ⁵²

mvp-comment-158-1 Ζεύς ⁵³

mvp-comment-158-2 ὅρκιος ⁵⁴

mvp-comment-158-3 τὸν αὐτόχειρα ⁵⁵ τάφου = ταφῆς ⁵⁶

mvp-comment-159-1 μοῦνος ⁵⁷ πρὶν ἂν . . δηλώσητε ⁵⁸ κρεμαστοί ⁵⁹ ζῶντες κρεμαστοί ⁶⁰

mvp-comment-159-2 δηλώσηθ’ ⁶¹

mvp-comment-159-3 ὕβριν ⁶²

mvp-comment-160-1 ἵν’ … ἁρπάζητε ⁶³

mvp-comment-160-2 τὸ κέρδος ⁶⁴ ἔνθεν οἰστέον ⁶⁵

mvp-comment-160-3 μάθηθ’ ⁶⁶

mvp-comment-160-4 ἐξ ἅπαντος ⁶⁷ τὸ κερδαίνειν ⁶⁸

mvp-comment-160-5

πιεῖν

. In O. C. 807

ἑξ ἅπαντος εὖ λέγει

=speaks well on any theme (starting from anything).

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

223-330. mvp-comment-136-1 The half-comic or rustic character of the watchman in this play is an extension of the common character of the messenger, whose natural rudeness of speech and thought brings into greater prominence the horror or pathos of the events he describes. The grotesqueness disappears when he speaks of the action of Antigone in 407-440. The employment of this artifice by Sophocles arises from the same motive to which Shakespeare gave a far wider range in such creations as the gravediggers in Hamlet, and the rural fellow in Antony and Cleopatra. The Messenger in the Trachiniae, the Corinthian in the Oedipus Tyrannus, Menelaus in the Ajax, the pretended Shipmaster in the Philoctetes, afford the same sort of contrast to the more tragic personages: and the superstition of the Coloniatae may be compared with the cowardice of the Phrygian slave in the Orestes of Euripides.

223-330. mvp-comment-136-2 The vulgarity of the common-place Athenian of the fifth century в.с. takes the form of misplaced subtlety of wit. Cp. Shak. Hamlet, 5. 1 ,

We must speak by the card, or equivocation will undo us. The age is grown so picked, that the toe of the peasant comes so near the heel of the courtier, he galls his kibe.

280. mvp-comment-168-1 Cease, ere you have quite filled me with wrath. καί, which is combined with πρίν, according to the common idiom (πρὶν καὶ..), is slightly displaced so as to emphasize the phrase ἐμὲ μεστῶσαι. The language is made clearer by the emendation καί με, but the emphatic ἐμέ is more suitable in the mouth of Creon. Cp. Phil. 1042.

281. mvp-comment-169-1 ἄνους τε καὶ γέρων Cp. О. С. 930-931, καί σ᾽ ὁ πληθύων χρόνος | γέρονθ' ὁμοῦ τίθησι καὶ τοῦ νοῦ κενόν. See Essay on Language § 41. p. 78. 285-286. Who came to burn their pillared shrines and offerings, and to break in pieces their land and laws. It seems more likely that the ἀναθήματα are joined in one expression with ναούς than with γῆν and νόμους, which are in a different category.

289-290. mvp-comment-170-1 ἀλλὰ ταῦτα.. ἐμοί But this explains the murmurs I have long been hearing from men in the city against me;' i. e. Those murmurs have become explicit in this act. Οη ταῦτα, see Essay on Language § 17. p. 25; and for the dative ἐμοί, at me, ib. § 12. p. 18. μόλις φέροντες, which some have connected with ταῦτα (ταῦτα μόλις φέροντες, 'Bearing my edict ill'), seems to be used absolutely, sc. τὸ ἐμὸν ζυγόν, with an allusion to the metaphor in what follows. Cp. Thuc. 5. 80, θυμῷ ἔφερον, sc. τὸν πόλεμον ἢ τὰ πράγματα.

291. mvp-comment-171-1 'Covertly shaking the head,' like an animal preparing to throw off the yoke.

292. mvp-comment-172-1 δικαίως Rightly; i. e. As I had a right to expect that they should.

292. mvp-comment-172-2 ὡς στέργειν ἐμέ So as to accept my sway. To this it has been objected that στέργω implies affectionate allegiance. But this notion, although inherent in the etymology of the word, is dropped in use. Cp. Phil. 538, ἐγὼ δ' ἀνάγκῃ προὔμαθον στέργειν κακά : Aesch. Prom. 11, τὴν Δίος τυραννίδα | στέργειν. What hope was there that Prometheus would be made loyal by loyal torments? The other interpretation, So that I should be content (cp. Phil. 458, τούτους ἐγὼ τοὺς ἄνδρας οὐ στέρξω ποτέ), would give but feeble expression to the self-will of Creon. The substitution for these words of εὐλόφως φέρειν from the citation of Eustathius, with the further change of νῶτον for λόφον, is rightly rejected by Dind., who points out that Eustathius, probably quoting from memory, has confused this passage with one of Lycophron.

293. mvp-comment-173-1 ἐκ τῶνδε By these malcontents. Supr. 290.

293. mvp-comment-173-2 τούτους (1) These guards. Infr. ll. 304 ff., supr. 260 ff.: or (2) simply τοὺς εἰργασμένους. The whole of this picture of discontent is the creation of Creon's anger from the hesitation of the chorus when told to see to the execution of the decree. Supr. 215 ff.

294. mvp-comment-174-1 There is a stress on μισθοῖσιν, preparing for what follows.

296. mvp-comment-175-1 νόμισμα, usually = Current coin, is here used in the more general sense which includes this. No such pestilent usance as money is, ever sprang up amongst mankind.

298. mvp-comment-176-1 The object of ἐκδιδάσκει, SC.

298. mvp-comment-176-2 χρηστοὺς αἰσχρά, is absorbed in the expansion of the sentence.

299. mvp-comment-177-1 πρὸς .. ἵστασθαι Το address themselves to shameful enterprizes.' Cp. Thuc. 6. 34. § 7, τῶν δ᾽ ἀνθρώπων πρὸς τὰ λεγόμενα καὶ αἱ γνῶμαι ἵστανται.

300. mvp-comment-178-1 πανουργίας The plural of the abstract noun gives the concrete notion.

300. mvp-comment-178-2 πανουργίας ἔχειν, like θήραν ἔχειν, Αj. 564: ὕβριν ἔχειν, Od. 1. 368, etc.

301. mvp-comment-179-1 παντὸς ἔργου δυσσέβειαν The impiety of every deed; i. e. Every kind of impiety in action. Cp. O.T. 864-865, εὔσεπτον ἁγνείαν λόγων | ἔργων τε πάντων.

303. mvp-comment-180-1 He implies, This cannot be their first act of disloyalty.' The unity of time is not to be pressed in the Antigone: see below, 11. 1064 ff. Else this suspicion of inveterate disaffection, against one who has reigned only for a few hours, would be too extravagant. The elders were selected for their loyalty. supr. 165 ff.

308-311. mvp-comment-181-1 οὐχ ὑμὶν ῞Αιδης.. ἁρπάζητε] Death shall not alone suffice for you, but first you shall be hung up alive to show the heinousness of this offence, that for the future, in your wrongful gettings, you may know better where to look for gain. See Essay on Language § 37. p. 64. There is a confusion of two constructions: (1) οὐχ ὑμὶν ῞Αιδης ἀρκέσει, τo which μοῦνος is added for emphasis, i. e. οὐ θανεῖσθε μόνον: and (2) οὐ θανεῖσθε πρίν, κ.τ.λ. Cp. 1064 ff., and see Aj. 106 ff., θανεῖν γὰρ αὐτὸν οὐτί πω θέλω, κ.τ.λ. The Φύλαξ is to take this message to his fellows.

313-314. mvp-comment-182-1 The sentence is redundant, either the article or ἢ σεσωσμένους being unnecessary. Weckl. reads σεσωμένους. For the article, cp. Eur. Phoen. 606, τοῦ μέρους ἔχων τὸ πλεῖον,