Antigone. Sophocles. Thomas Francklin (Translator). London. 1758–1759.
English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759) (OCR draft) (English) (English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759))
Provisional text from uncorrected OCR; expect errors.
mvp-comment-22-1 ἐᾶν δ’ 1 ἄταφον ἄκλαυτον 2
mvp-comment-23-1 θησαυρόν 3
mvp-comment-23-2 εἰσορῶσι 4 εἰσορμῶσι 5
mvp-comment-23-3 Take πρὸς χάριν βορᾶς 6
mvp-comment-23-4 πρὸς χάριν 7
mvp-comment-24-1 σοί 8 κἀμοί 9 κηρύξαντ’ ἔχειν 10
mvp-comment-24-2 τὸν ἀγαθόν 11
mvp-comment-24-3 λέγω γὰρ κἀμέ 12
mvp-comment-24-4 Two other explanations may be noticed. Both make σοι 13 σοι 14 τοιαῦτα 15 κἀμοί 16 σοι 17 σοι 18 ἀγαθόν 19
mvp-comment-25-1 νεῖσθαι 20
mvp-comment-25-2 τοῖσι μὴ εἰδόσιν 21
mvp-comment-26-1 παρ’ οὐδέν 22 ὡς 23
mvp-comment-26-2 ὃς ἂν … δρᾷ 24
mvp-comment-27-1 προκεῖσθαι 25
mvp-comment-27-2 δημόλευστον 26
mvp-comment-28-1 σοι 27
mvp-comment-28-2 ἐσθλῶν 28
mvp-comment-29-1 ὦ ταλαῖφρον 29
mvp-comment-29-2 εἰ τάδ’ ἐν τούτοις 30 ἐν τούτοις 31
mvp-comment-30-1 λύουσ’ … ἢ ’φάπτουσα 32 εἵθ’ ἅπτουσα 33
mvp-comment-30-2 προσθείμην 34
mvp-comment-30-3 πλέον 35
mvp-comment-31-1 ξυμπονήσεις 36 ξυνεργάσει 37
mvp-comment-31-2 ποῖόν τι κινδύνευμα 38
mvp-comment-31-3
Read
ποῦ γνώμης...εἶ (from
εἶναι): cp.
El. 390
ποῦ ποτ’ εἶ φρενῶν. The question between
ποῦ
39
ποῖ
40
mvp-comment-32-1 εἰ 41 ξὺν τῇδε χερί 42
mvp-comment-32-2 κουφιεῖς 43
mvp-comment-32-3 ἦ γὰρ 44
mvp-comment-32-4 σφε 45
mvp-comment-32-5 ἀπόρρητον 46
mvp-comment-32-6 πόλει 47
mvp-comment-33-1 τὸν γοῦν ἐμὸν 48 ἐμόν 49 καὶ τὸν σόν, ἢν σὺ μὴ θέλῃς 50 τὸν ἐμόν 51 τὸν σόν 52 ἀδελφόν 53 γοῦν 54 τὸν … ἐμὸν καὶ τὸν σόν 55 καὶ 56 ἤν 57
mvp-comment-34-1 ἀδελφὸν … ἁλώσομαι 58 ἀδελφόν 59 οὐ γὰρ δή 60
mvp-comment-35-1 ὦ σχετλία 61
mvp-comment-35-2
σχετλία τόλμης. (
b) ‘Suffering,’=
τλήμων, as
Aesch.
PV 644
(of Io),
Eur.
Hec. 783
. Neither Homer nor Soph. has this use. (2) Of
things, ‘cruel,’ ‘wretched,’—a use common to all the poets: so
Ai. 887
σχέτλια γάρ (‘'tis cruel’),
Tr. 879
.
mvp-comment-36-1 οὐδέν 62 μέτα 63 τῶν ἐμῶν 64 εἴργειν 65
mvp-comment-37-1 νῷν 66 ἀπώλετο 67 ἀπεχθής 68 ἀπώλετο 69 ἔπειτα 70
mvp-comment-38-1 πρὸς … ἀμπλακημάτων … ἀράξας 71
mvp-comment-38-2 αὐτοφώρων 72
mvp-comment-38-3 ἀράξας 73
mvp-comment-38-4 αὐτὸς αὐτουργῷ χερί 74 αὐτός 75 αὐτ. χερί 76
mvp-comment-39-1 διπλοῦν ἔπος 77 πάθος 78
mvp-comment-39-2 ἀρτάναισι 79
mvp-comment-40-1 δύο … μίαν 80
mvp-comment-40-2 αὐτοκτονοῦντε 81
mvp-comment-41-1 κατειργάσαντ’ 82
mvp-comment-41-2 ἐπαλλήλοιν χεροῖν 83 ἐπ’ ἀλλήλοιν 84 χεροῖν 85 οιν 86 ἐπαλλήλοιν 87 χεροῖν 88
mvp-comment-42-1 νῦν δ’ αὖ 89 δ’ 90 νῦν αὖ 91 αὖ 92
mvp-comment-42-2 μόνα δή 93
mvp-comment-43-1 ψῆφον 94
mvp-comment-43-2 τυράννων 95
mvp-comment-43-3 κράτη 96 ἢ 97 καὶ 98
mvp-comment-44-1 τοῦτο μὲν 99 ἐννοεῖν 100 ἔπειτα δ’ 101
mvp-comment-44-2 ὡς 102 οὐ μαχουμένα 103
mvp-comment-45-1 οὕνεκ’ 104
mvp-comment-45-2 ἐκ 105
mvp-comment-45-3 ἀκούειν 106 ταῦτα 107 ἀλγίονα 108
mvp-comment-46-1 ἐγὼ μὲν οὖν 109
mvp-comment-46-2 τοὺς ὑπὸ χθονός 110
mvp-comment-46-3 βιάζομαι τάδε 111
mvp-comment-47-1 τοῖς ἐν τέλει βεβῶσι 112 βεβῶσι 113
mvp-comment-47-2 τὸ γὰρ | ...πράσσειν 114
mvp-comment-47-3 περισσὰ πρ 115
mvp-comment-47-4 οὐκ ἔχει νοῦν οὐδ. 116
mvp-comment-48-1 ἔτι 117
mvp-comment-48-2 πράσσειν … δρῴης 118 δρῴης 119 ἄν 120 ἡδέως 121 γε 122 ἡδέως γε ἂν ἐμοῦ 123 <)μοῦ 124 γε 125 ἐμοί γ’ 126 μέτα 127 ἀσμένης 128 ἡδέως 129 ἐμοῦ γε 130
mvp-comment-49-1 ἴσθ’ 131
mvp-comment-49-2 όποία σοι δοκεῖ 132 ἴσθ’ 133 ὁποῖά σοι δοκεῖ 134
mvp-comment-50-1 θάψω 135
mvp-comment-50-2 φίλη … φίλου 136
mvp-comment-50-3 μετ’ αὐτοῦ κείσομαι 137 μετά 138
mvp-comment-51-1 ὅσια πανουργήσασ’ 139 ὅσια 140
mvp-comment-51-2 ἐπεὶ κ.τ.λ. 141
mvp-comment-51-3 τῶν ἐνθάδε 142
mvp-comment-52-1 κείσομαι 143
mvp-comment-52-2 σοὶ δ’ 144 σὺ δ’ 145 εἰ δοκεῖ 146
mvp-comment-52-3 τὰ τῶν θεῶν ἔντιμα 147
mvp-comment-52-4 ἀτιμάσασ’ ἔχε 148
mvp-comment-53-1 ἐγὼ 149 μέν 150 δέ 151
mvp-comment-53-2 ἄτιμα ποιοῦμαι 152
mvp-comment-53-3 τὸ δὲ | ...δρᾶν 153
mvp-comment-54-1 τάδ’ ἂν προὔχοιο 154
mvp-comment-54-2 δὴ 155
mvp-comment-54-3 τάφον χώσουσ’ 156
mvp-comment-55-1 Join οἴμοι ταλαίνης 157
mvp-comment-55-2 μὴ ’μοῦ προτάρβει 158 τὸν σόν 159 μὴ ’μοῦ 160 προτάρβει 161
mvp-comment-55-3 ἐξόρθου 162
mvp-comment-56-1 ἀλλ’ οὖν … γε 163 ἀλλά 164 οὖν 165
mvp-comment-56-2 κρυφῆ δέ 166
mvp-comment-56-3 σὺν δ’ 167
mvp-comment-56-4 αὔτως 168
mvp-comment-57-1 καταύδα 169
mvp-comment-57-2 πολλόν 170 πολλὸν 171
mvp-comment-57-3 σιγῶσ’ 172 ἐὰν … τάδε 173 πᾶσι 174
mvp-comment-58-1 θερμὴν ἐπὶ ψυχροῖσι 175 ἐπί 176 θερμήν 177
mvp-comment-59-1 ἁδεῖν 178
mvp-comment-60-1 εἰ καὶ δυνήσει γ’ 179 καὶ 180 δυνήσει 181 εἰ καί 182
mvp-comment-61-1 Since οὐκοῦν 183 δὴ 184 ὅταν 185
mvp-comment-61-2 πεπαύσομαι 186
mvp-comment-62-1 ἀρχήν 187
mvp-comment-63-1 ἐχθαρεῖ 188
mvp-comment-63-2 ἐξ ἐμοῦ 189
mvp-comment-64-1 ἐχθρὰ...τῷ θανόντι προσκείσει δίκῃ 190 προσκείσει 191 ἐχθρά 192
mvp-comment-64-2
Lehrs proposed
Δίκῃ, i.e. ‘you will fall under the chastisement of justice.’ Donaldson, following Emper, reads
ἐχθρᾷ... δίκῃ, as
iure inimicorum apud mortuum eris: i.e. on the part of the dead you will be deemed to have only the rights of a foe. This is impossible. The ordinary reading is sound.
mvp-comment-65-1 ἔα 193
mvp-comment-65-2 τὴν ἐξ ἐμοῦ δυσββουλίαν 194
mvp-comment-65-3 τὸ δεινὸν τοῦτο 195
mvp-comment-65-4 πείσομαι γὰρ οὐ 197
mvp-comment-65-5 μὴ οὐ 198
mvp-comment-66-1 τοῖς φίλοις δ’ ὀρθῶς φίλη 199 ἴσθι 200
mvp-comment-68-1 ἀελίου 201
mvp-comment-68-2 τὸ κάλλιστον ...φάος 202
mvp-comment-68-3 ἑπταπύλῳ 203
mvp-comment-68-4 τῶν προτέρων 204
mvp-comment-69-1 ἐφάνθης 205
mvp-comment-69-2 χρυσέας 206
mvp-comment-69-3 βλέφαρον 207
mvp-comment-69-4 Διρκαίων 208
mvp-comment-70-1 τὸν λεύκασπιν...φῶτα 209
mvp-comment-70-2
The words
τὸν λεύκασπιν Ἀργόθεν answer metrically to 123
πευκάενθ’ Ἥφαιστον ἑλεῖν. Instead of
Ἀργόθεν (¯˘¯) we therefore require ¯˘˘¯. The short final of
λεύκασπιν is legitimate, the metre being Glyconic (see Analysis Metr.). In the antistrophic verse, the H of
Ἥφαιστον is ‘irrational,’ i.e. is a long syllable doing duty for a short: and Nauck is incorrect in saying that the metre ‘requires’ (though it admits) a choriambus beginning with a
consonant. The simplest remedy is to read
Ἀργόθεν ἐκ | βάντα φῶτα
210
Ἰναχόθεν
211
mvp-comment-71-1 πανσαγίᾳ 212
mvp-comment-71-2 φυγάδα πρ. 213 κινήσασα 214
mvp-comment-71-3 πρόδρομον 215
mvp-comment-71-4 ὀξυτέρῳ...χαλινῷ 216
mvp-comment-71-5 ὀξυτέρῳ 217
mvp-comment-72-1 The MSS. have ὃν...Πολυνείκης 218 ὃς ...Πολυνείκους 219
mvp-comment-72-2 Πολυνείκους … νεικέων 220
mvp-comment-72-3 ἀρθείς 221
mvp-comment-72-4 νεικ. ἐξ ἀμφιλόγων 222
mvp-comment-73-1 ὀξέα κλάζων 223
mvp-comment-73-2 αἰετὸς εἰς γᾶν ὣς ὑπερέπτα 224 ὥς 225
mvp-comment-73-3 ὑπερέπτα 226
mvp-comment-74-1 λευκῆς χιόνος πτ. 227
mvp-comment-74-2 στεγανός 228
mvp-comment-74-3 ὅπλων … κορύθεσσι 229 ξύν 230 μετά 231 ξύν 232
mvp-comment-75-1 In στὰς δ’ ὑπὲρ μελάθρων 233 πτάς 234
mvp-comment-75-2 The words φονώσαισιν ἀμφιχανὼν... λόγχαις 235
mvp-comment-75-3 φονώσαισιν 236
mvp-comment-75-4 ἑπτάπυλον στόμα 237
mvp-comment-76-1 ἔβα 238
mvp-comment-76-2 πρίν ποθ’ 239 αἱμάτων 240
mvp-comment-76-3 γἑνυσιν 241 πλησθῆναι 242 τε 243 τε 244
mvp-comment-76-4 στεφάνωμα 245
mvp-comment-76-5 πευκάενθ’ Ἥφαιστον 246
mvp-comment-77-1 τοῖος 247
mvp-comment-77-2 ἐτάθη 248
mvp-comment-77-3 πάταγος 249
mvp-comment-77-4 ἀντιπάλῳ δυσχείρωμα δράκοντος 250 ἀντιπάλῳ ... δράκοντι 251 ἀντιπάλου … δράκοντος 252 ἀντιπάλῳ … δράκοντος 253
mvp-comment-77-5 The interpretation of the passage turns primarily on two points.
mvp-comment-77-6 (1) The δράκων 254
mvp-comment-77-7 (2) The δυς 255 δυσχείρωμα 256
mvp-comment-77-8 Those who read ἀντιπάλῳ … δράκοντι 257 ὲτάθη 258
mvp-comment-77-9 Those who read ἀντιπάλου … δράκοντος 259
mvp-comment-78-1 μεγάλης 260
mvp-comment-78-2 ῥεύματι 261 ῥεύματι πολλῷ 262
mvp-comment-79-1 χρυσοῦ καναχῆς ὑπεροπλίαις 263
mvp-comment-79-2
μέγας. In post-Homeric poetry
ὑπέροπλος is a freq. epith. of overweening strength (
ἠνορέη, βίη, ἥβη, etc.).—Other readings are:—(1)
χρυσοῦ καναχῇ θ’ ὑπερόπτας, ‘and haughty in the clang of gold.’ This involves an improbable change; the subst.
ὑπερόπτης, too, is unsuitable here, and cannot be defended by
Theocr. 22. 58
πρὸς πάντα παλίγκοτος ἠδ’ ὑπερόπτης. Wecklein, reading
ὑπερόπτας, keeps
καναχῆς in the sense,
hoffärtig
auf: but a genit. after
ὑπερόπτης could not denote that
in which one takes pride. (2)
χρυσοῦ καναχῆς ὑπερόπτης, or
‐όπτα, i.e., ‘Zeus, a despiser of the clang of gold.’ (3)
χρυσοῦ καναχῆς ὑπέροπτα, adv. neut. plur. (as
O. T. 883
), ‘advancing haughtily in a great stream of clanging gold.’ But the adv. comes weakly at the end, and
χρυσοῦ κ. is harshly joined with
π. ῥεύματι.—Aesch. , too, gives prominence to
gold in picturing the Argive chiefs: Capaneus has golden letters on his shield (
Aesch.
Th. 434
), Polyneices has the image of a warrior in golden armour, with a golden legend (644,
Aesch. Th. 660
).
mvp-comment-79-3 καναχῆς 264
mvp-comment-80-1 παλτῷ πυρί 265
mvp-comment-80-2 βαλβίδων ἐπ’ ἄκρων 266
mvp-comment-80-3 ὁρμῶντα 267
mvp-comment-80-4 νίκην 268 ἀλαλάξαι 269
mvp-comment-81-1 ἀντιτύπᾳ 270
mvp-comment-81-2
As regards the sense,
ἀντίτυπος was regularly used of hard surfaces, which, as it were,
repel that which strikes them (for the accent
ἀντίτυπος, not
ἀντιτύπος, though the sense is act., see on
O. T. 460
).
Probl. 5. 40
οἱ...ἐν ἀντιτύποις περίπατοι. Lucian
Amor. 13
τὴν ἀντίτυπον οὕτω καὶ καρτερὰν τοῦ λίθου φύσιν. So, fig.,
Plat.
Crat. 420D
τὸ...ἀναγκαῖον καὶ ἀντίτυπον, what is necessary, and what
resists us.
mvp-comment-81-3 τανταλωθείς 271
mvp-comment-82-1 πυρφόρος 272
mvp-comment-82-2 βακχεύων 273
mvp-comment-82-3 ῥιπαῖς...ἀνέμων 274
mvp-comment-83-1 εἶχε δ’ ἄλλᾳ τὰ μέν 275 εἶχε δ’ ἄλλαι τὰ μὲν ἄλλαι τὰ δ’ ἐπ’ ἄλλοις 276 τὰ μέν 277 ἄλλα δέ 278 τὰ μέν 279 ἄλλᾳ 280
mvp-comment-83-2 ἐπενώμα 281 στυφελίζων 282
mvp-comment-83-3 δεξιόσειρος 283
mvp-comment-83-4 The old v.l. δεξιόχειρος 284
mvp-comment-84-1 ἑπτὰ λοχαγοί 285
mvp-comment-84-2 ἴσοι πρὸς ἴσους 286
mvp-comment-84-3 Ζηνὶ τροπαίῳ 287
mvp-comment-84-4 πάγχαλκα τέλη 288
mvp-comment-84-5
It was the ordinary practice to set up a
τρόπαιον (old
αττ.τροπαῖον) after a victory, on the spot where it had been won, or, in the case of a sea-fight, on the nearest land (
Thuc. 2.92
). Such a trophy ordinarily consisted of shields, helmets, and weapons, conspicuously displayed on wooden supports, and dedicated, with an inscription, to a deity. Cp.
Eur.
Phoen. 1473
(of the Thebans after the victory)
οἱ μὲν Διὸς τροπαῖον ἵστασαν βρέτας (i.e. a wooden image of
Ζεὺς Τροπαῖος), |
οἱ δ’ ἀσπίδας συλῶντες Ἀργείων νεκρῶν | σκυλεύματ’ εἴσω τειχέων ἐπέμπομεν. Part of the armour would be affixed to the walls of Theban temples (cp.
Aesch.
Ag. 577
,
Th. 276
).
mvp-comment-85-1 πλὴν τ. στυγεροῖν 289 πατρός 290
mvp-comment-85-2 καθ’ αὑτοῖν 291
mvp-comment-85-3 δικρατεῖς λόγχας 292
mvp-comment-85-4 στήσαντε 293
mvp-comment-86-1 ἀλλὰ γάρ 294 γάρ 295 γάρ 296
mvp-comment-86-2 μεγαλώνυμος 297
mvp-comment-86-3 πολυαρμάτῳ 298
mvp-comment-86-4 ἀντιχαρεῖσα 299
mvp-comment-87-1 ἐκ...πολέμων τῶν νῦν 300 ἐκ 301 νῦν 302
mvp-comment-87-2 θέσθαι 303 θέσθε 304 παννυχίοις 305
mvp-comment-87-3 ὁ Θήβας 306 ἐλελίχθων 307
mvp-comment-87-4 Βάκχιος 308
mvp-comment-87-5 ἄρχοι 309
mvp-comment-88-1 ἀλλὰ … γάρ 310 Κρέων 311
mvp-comment-88-2 Μενοικέως 312
mvp-comment-88-3 νεοχμὸς νεαραῖσι 313
mvp-comment-88-4 their equivalents. See Appendix I prefer the first of these views. An anapaest or spondee, meaning ‘ruler,’ has probably dropped out before νεοχμός 314 κρείων 315 ἄρχων 316 ταγός 317
mvp-comment-88-5 θεῶν … συντυχίαις 318 ἐπί 319
mvp-comment-89-1 μῆτιν ἐρέσσων 320
mvp-comment-89-2 σύγκλητον 321
mvp-comment-89-3 προὔθετο 322 λέσχην 323
mvp-comment-89-4
not the meeting, but the discussion which is to take place there: thus the poet's phrase, true to Attic usage, corresponds with
γνώμας προθεῖναι rather than with
ἐκκλησίαν προθεῖναι. Herod. uses
λέσχη of a public discussion (9. 71): cp.
O. C. 167
. The midd.
προὔθετο
324
mvp-comment-89-5 κοινῷ κ. πέμψας 325
mvp-comment-91-1 There is a general dramatic analogy between this speech and that of Oedipus in O. T. 216 —275. In each case a Theban king addresses Theban elders, announcing a stern decree, adopted in reliance on his own wisdom, and promulgated with haughty consciousness of power; the elders receive the decree with a submissive deference under which we can perceive traces of misgiving; and as the drama proceeds, the elders become spectators of calamities occasioned by the decree, while its author turns to them for comfort.
mvp-comment-91-2 τὰ μὲν δὴ πόλεος . . ὑμᾶς δ’ 326
mvp-comment-91-3 πόλεος 327 πολλῷ σάλῳ σείσαντες 328
mvp-comment-91-4
The image of the State as a ship dates in Greek literature from Alcaeus (whom Horace copied,
Carm. 1. 14
), fr. 18. The ship of Alcaeus is labouring in the trough of a wild sea,—water is coming in,—the sail is torn,—the anchor will not hold:
νᾶϊ φορήμεθα σὺν μελαίνᾳ | χείμωνι μοχθεῦντες μεγάλῳ μάλα, κ.τ.λ. It is only through Heracleides
Alleg. Homer. 5 that we know the meaning of Alcaeus to have been figurative and political. Aesch. often uses the image (
Aesch.
Th. 2
,
Aesch. Th. 62
,
Aesch. Th. 208
etc.). Creon returns to it at 189. It is peculiarly well suited to his point,—the unity of the public interest.
mvp-comment-91-5 ὤρθωσαν 329
mvp-comment-92-1 ἐκ πάντων 330 δίχα 331
mvp-comment-92-2 ἔστειλ’ ἱκέσθαι 332 τοῦτο μέν 333
mvp-comment-92-3 σέβοντας 334
mvp-comment-92-4 θρόνων . . κράτη 335
mvp-comment-93-1 ἡνίκ’ Οἰδίπους 336 κείνων 337 κείνων παῖδας 338 ἡνίκ’ . . ὤρθου πόλιν 339 ἐπεὶ διώλετο 340 τοῦτο μέν . . τοῦτ’ αὖθις 341
mvp-comment-93-2 καί 342 καί 343
mvp-comment-93-3 ἐμπέδοις φρονήμασιν 344 ἐμπέδους 345 ἐμπέδοις 346
mvp-comment-94-1 ὅτε 347
mvp-comment-94-2 πρὸς διπλῆς μ. 348 διπλῆς . . μίαν 349
mvp-comment-94-3 παίσαντες . . πληγέντες 350
mvp-comment-94-4 αὐτόχειρι … μιάσματι 351
mvp-comment-95-1 ἐγὼ . . δή 352
mvp-comment-95-2 κράτη 353
mvp-comment-95-3 γένους κατ’ ἀγχιστεῖα τῶν ὀλ. 354
mvp-comment-96-1 ἀμήχανον δέ 355 δέ 356 δέ 357
mvp-comment-96-2 Demosthenes, in his speech on the Embassy (343 B.C.), quotes this passage (vv. 175—190) as illustrating maxims
mvp-comment-96-3 which Aeschines had violated, though, accustomed as he had been to play tritagonists' parts, he ought to have known them by heart (or. 19 § 247).
mvp-comment-97-1 ψυχήν 358 φρόνημα 359 γνώμην 360
mvp-comment-98-1 ἀρχαῖς 361 νόμοισιν 362
mvp-comment-98-2 ἐντριβής 363
mvp-comment-98-3 φανῇ 364
mvp-comment-99-1 ἐμοὶ γάρ 365 γάρ 366 πᾶσαν … πόλιν 367
mvp-comment-99-2 μὴ … ἅπτεται 368 ὅστις μὴ ἅπτεται 369
mvp-comment-99-3 ἐκ φ. του 370
mvp-comment-99-4 ἐγκλῄσας ἔχει 371
mvp-comment-99-5 νῦν τε καὶ πάλαι 372
mvp-comment-100-1 μείζον’ 373 ἀντὶ τῆς...πάτρας 374 ἤ 375 μεῖζον 376
mvp-comment-100-2 οὐδαμοῦ λέγω 377
mvp-comment-101-1 ἐγὼ γάρ 378 γάρ 379 τοῦτο γιγνώσκων 380 ἴστω 381
mvp-comment-102-1 οὔτ’ ἂν σιωπήσαιμι 382
mvp-comment-103-1 στείχουσαν ἀστοῖς 383 ὁμοῦ 384
mvp-comment-103-2 ἀντὶ τῆς σωτηρίας 385 τῆς 386
mvp-comment-104-1 ἄνδρα δυσμενῆ χθονός 387
mvp-comment-104-2 ἐμαυτῷ 388 φίλον 389 θείμην 390
mvp-comment-105-1 ἡ σῴζουσα 391
mvp-comment-105-2 ταύτης 392 ὀρθῆς 393
mvp-comment-105-3 τοὺς φίλους ποιούμεθα 394
mvp-comment-105-4
εὐτυχούσῃ πολλῷ μᾶλλον διασῴζεται. ‘Pericles Thucydidis 11. 60 Sophoclem videtur respexisse, vel eum Sophocles,’ is Dobree's remark (
Adv. 2. 37
); but there is no adequate ground for such a view. The verbal coincidence of
ὀρθῆς with
ὀρθουμένην may well have been accidental. What is really common to poet and historian is the general sentiment of Periclean Athens. For another example of this, cp.
O. C. 116
n.
mvp-comment-106-1 νόμοισι 395
mvp-comment-106-2 αὔξω 396
mvp-comment-107-1 ἀδελφὰ τῶνδε 397
mvp-comment-107-2 τῶν ἀπ’ Οἰδίπου 398
mvp-comment-108-1 δορί 399 δόρει 400
mvp-comment-109-1 τὰ πάντ’ ἐφαγνίσαι 401 ἐπί 402 ἐφαγνίσαι 403 ἀφαγνίσαι 404 ἀπό 405
mvp-comment-110-1 τοῖς ἀρίστοις 406
mvp-comment-110-2 ἔρχεται κάτω 407
mvp-comment-111-1 L has Πολυνείκην 408
mvp-comment-111-2 λέγω 409
mvp-comment-112-1 γτ=ν πατρῴαν . . καὶ θεοὺς . . πρῆσαι 410
mvp-comment-112-2 θ. τοὺς ἐγγενεῖς 411
mvp-comment-112-3 κατελθών 412
mvp-comment-112-4 γ)θέλησε μέν … ἠθέλ. δέ 413 ἠθέλησε μὲν 414
mvp-comment-112-5 πρῆσαι 415
mvp-comment-112-6 κατ’ ἄκρας 416
mvp-comment-112-7 αἵματος κ. πάσασθαι 417
mvp-comment-112-8 τοὺς δὲ … ἄγειν 418
mvp-comment-113-1 The traditional ἐκκεκηρῦχθαι τάφῳ 419 ἐκκεκήρυκται τάφῳ 420 ἐκκεκηρῦχθαι λέγω 421 τάφῳ 422 κτερίζειν 423 τάφῳ 424 κτερίζειν 425 μήτε 426 κωκῦσαι 427 τάφῳ 428 λέγω 429 τάφῳ 430 ἐκκεκ 431
mvp-comment-114-1 ἐᾶν δ 432 ἄθαπτον, αἰκισθέντ’ ἰδεῖν 433 δέμας καὶ πρὸς οἰωνῶν καὶ πρὸς κυνῶν ἐδεστόν 434 αἰκισθέντ 435 αἰκισθέντ 436 ἐδεστόν 437 αἰκισθέν τ’, δέμας 438
mvp-comment-114-2 δέμας 439
mvp-comment-114-3 ἰδεῖν 440
mvp-comment-115-1 φρόνημα 441
mvp-comment-115-2 ἔκ γ’ ἐμοῦ 442
mvp-comment-116-1 The MSS. have τιμὴν προέξουσ’ ..τῶν ἐνδ. 443 τιμήν 444 τιμῆ 445 προσέξους 446
mvp-comment-117-1 τιμήσεται 447
29. mvp-comment-21-1 ἐἂν. Sc. πάντας. The affirmative subject is supplied from the negative Cp. the language of the proclamation in O. T. 241, and see Essay on Language p. 59.
29. mvp-comment-21-2 ἄκλαυτον, ἄταφον Cp. Od. 11. 72; Il. 22. 386; Eur. Hec. 30.
29-30. mvp-comment-22-1 οἰωνοῖς .. βορᾶς (1) To the vultures a sweet treasure as they eye him with a view to the gratification of food. Cp. infr. 371 τόλμας χάριν : 908, τίνος νόμου δὴ ταῦτα πρὸς χάριν λέγω; Or, perhaps. (2) To the vultures, eyeing him, a glad store of food to gratify their desire. For πρὸς χάριν in the latter rendering, cp. Phil. 1156, ἀντίφονον κορέσαι στόμα πρὸς χάριν, and for the combination of adverbial phrase and noun, El. 1336, σὺν χαρᾷ βοῆς.
31. mvp-comment-23-1 τὸν ἀγαθὸν Κρέοντα Cp. Phil. 873, ἁγαθοὶ στρατηλάται.
31-32. mvp-comment-24-1 σοι | κάμοί, λέγω γὰρ κἀμέ] Antigone first says, There is Creon's proclamation for you! (σοι unemphatic as in l. 37:) then, going off upon the word, For you, did I say? ay, and for me too, for I count myself also amongst those forbidden. This is said with bitter emphasis, showing that she has fully counted the cost of the act she meditates. The proclamation extends to me-I accept the consequences. For λέγω in this sense, cp. Aesch. Prom. 973, καὶ σὲ δ᾽ ἐν τούτοις λέγω: Cho. 989, Αἰγίσθου γὰρ οὐ λέγω μόρον. Others take κἀμέ as κάμοί, Το me, I say! (whose spirit he little knows).
35. mvp-comment-25-1 ὃς ἄν Essay on Language § 22. p. 35, 2. §39. p. 72.
35. mvp-comment-25-2 τούτων τι For this idiomatic use of τι, cp. Thuc. 5. 13, δρᾶν τι ὧν ἐκεῖνος ἐπενόει.
36. mvp-comment-26-1 δημόλευστον By stoning of the people. Essay on Language p. 98, a, line 15.
38. mvp-comment-27-1 For εὐγενής in the ethical sense, cp. Eur. El. 363, οὔτοι τό γ' ἦθος δυσγενές παρέξομαι. And for the genitive ἐσθλῶν, cp. Αj. 763, ἄνους καλῶς λέγοντος εὑρέθη πατρός.
39-40. mvp-comment-28-1 Alas for thy rash spirit! What help, if things be at this pass, can I afford, either to undo what is done, or to confirm it?' ταλαῖφρον points to the daring spirit of Antigone and to the tone of her last words. For λύουσα, cp. Aesch. S. c. Т. 270, λύουσα πολεμίων φόβον. The choice lies between ἢ 'φάπτουσα and εἴθ' ἅπτουσα. The implied negative is in favour of εἴθ' ἅπτουσα, which comes near the first hand of L. Cp. О. Т. 517, λόγοισιν εἴτ᾿ ἔργοισιν, where, however, ei precedes. But εἴτε is slightly too emphatic, and ἢ ᾿φάπτουσα is an early reading. The expression is proverbial. Cp. Aj. 1317.
42. mvp-comment-29-1 ποῦ γνώμης ποτ' εἶ; Although ποῖ with the verb of motion is not unlikely (cp. El. 922, ὅποι γνώμης φέρει), the future tense does not suit the passage. Hence the reading of Par. A. (with εἶ from εἰμί) is preferable. Cp. Ε1. 390, ποῦ ποτ' εἶ φρενῶν; but see Eurip. Iph. A. 480, for el from εἶμι with present meaning.
43. mvp-comment-30-1 Antigone's first intention is to lift the body with Ismene's help and give it proper burial. Being unable to do this unaided, she sprinkles the dust. Cp. El. 938-1057.
43. mvp-comment-30-2 ξὺν τῇδε .. χερί Aiding this hand, i. e. taking part in my labour. Cp. Ο. Τ. 811 ἐκ τῆσδε χειρός. Essay on Language § 22. p. 34.
44. mvp-comment-31-1 ἀπόρρητον πόλει A thing forbidden to the whole city. ἀπόρρητον is neuter accusative in apposition to the action of θάπτειν. Essay on Language § 17. p. 25.
45-46. mvp-comment-32-1 I will certainly bury my brother and yours, though you do not choose to do your part. The second of these lines has been needlessly suspected. The rejoinder of Ismene comes in more effectively when the στιχομυθία is broken. ἣν = κἄν, cp. Phil. 52, ἄλλ' ἤν τι καινὸν .. κλύῃς, ὑπουργεῖν.
48. mvp-comment-33-1 He has no right in what is mine, to part me from my own. τῶν ἐμῶν is partitive genitive with οὐδὲν μέτα: privative genitive with εἴργειν. Essay on Language p. 61.
50. mvp-comment-34-1 vῷν Ethical dative.
51. mvp-comment-35-1 αὐτοφώρων Self-detected; i. e. Brought to light by his own act. πρός = In consequence of,' connects the phrase with the preceding rather than the following words. Although the action of O. T. is not presupposed, this part of the fable had been already developed by Aeschylus. See S. c. T. 778 ff. Others take αὐτοφώρων to mean clearly proved, manifest to all men: cp. Od. 11.247, ἄφαρ δ᾽ ἀνάπυστα θεοὶ θέσαν ἀνθρώποισιν. But the emphatic repetition of αὐτὸς αὐτουργῷ in the next line agrees better with the more pregnant meaning. αὐτουργῷ = εἰς ἑαυτὸν ταῦτα ἐρξάσῃ.
53. mvp-comment-36-1 διπλοῦν ἔπος A two-fold name, suggesting the horror of the double relationship. Cp. Ο. Τ. 928, γυνὴ δὲ μήτηρ ἥδε τῶν κείνου τέκνων.
54. mvp-comment-37-1 λωβᾶται βίον Destroys her own life. Cp. Tr. 887, τάνδ᾽ ὕβριν.
56. mvp-comment-38-1 αὐτοκτονούντε By mutual fratricidal slaughter. αὐτός in composition here is partly reciprocal and partly, as in αὐτόχειρ, suggestive of the murder of kindred: cp. 1. 172. The same is true of κοινόν: cp. 1. 147.
57. mvp-comment-39-1 ἐπαλλήλοιν Mutual. The read. ing of L and Hermann is justified by the awkwardness of the double genitive dual and the doubtful use of ἐπί in the other reading.
58. mvp-comment-40-1 δή emphasizes μόνα with reference to what precedes. Thus left alone.
60. mvp-comment-41-1 ψῆφον τυράννων ἢ κράτη The will or authority of the ruler. 64. For the epexegesis, see Essay on Language § 33. p. 57. And for the accusative, to obey in this, cp. infr. 666-667.
66. mvp-comment-42-1 βιάζομαι τάδε This passive use of βιάζομαι occurs again in l. 1073, ἀλλ᾿ ἐκ σοῦ βιάζονται τάδε.
67. mvp-comment-43-1 τοῖς .. βεβῶσι Those whose position is supreme; i.e. the present ruling power.
68. mvp-comment-44-1 περισσὰ πράσσειν ‘Το act beyond one's sphere.' Cp. Tr. 617, τὸ μὴ πιθυμεῖν πομπὸς ὢν περισσὰ δρᾶν.
70. mvp-comment-45-1 ἐμοῦ.. μέτα Would your acting with me be any pleasure to me. For the adverb ἡδέως, implying a predicate, see Essay on Language § 24. p. 40.
71. mvp-comment-46-1 ἴσθ᾽ ὁποία This reading is acknowledged by the Scholiast equally with ἴσθ' ὁποῖα, the reading of LA. Be such as you choose to be' (i. e. base, cp. supr. 38) is more forcible than Hold what principles you please, even if εἰδέναι can have this meaning. Cp Phil. 1049, τοιοῦτός εἰμ' ἐγώ: Eur. Or. 1680, κἀγὼ τοιοῦτος. ὁποία is nominative by attraction to the antecedent. Hermann thought the dative ὁποίᾳ was required.
72. mvp-comment-47-1 Antigone knows clearly from the beginning, with the heightened consciousness of passion, the consequences of her act. There is no irony of fortune, so far as she is concerned.
74. mvp-comment-48-1 ὅσια πανουργ. Cp. infr. 924.
75. mvp-comment-49-1 τῶν ἐνθάδε See Essay on Language § 10. p.15. The form of expression resembles Hdt. 3. 124, βούλεσθαι οὖν παρθενεύεσθαι πλείω χρόνον ἢ τοῦ πατρὸς ἐστερῆσθαι. For the thought, cp. Plat. Legg. 9.881 Α, θάνατος μὲν οὐκ ἔστιν ἔσχατον, οἱ δὲ ἐν ῞Αιδου . πόνοι .. εἰσὶ μᾶλλον ἐν ἐσχάτοις : Sim. Am. 3, πολλὸς γὰρ ἡμῖν ἐστι τεθνάναι χρόνος, κ.τ.λ.
76. mvp-comment-50-1 σοὶ δ᾽ εἰ δοκεῖ The emphasis really rests on the subject (σύ), but is transferred to the dative, as in Phil. 1395, ὡς ῥᾷστ᾽ ἐμοὶ μὲν τῶν λόγων λῆξαι, σὲ δὲ | κ.τ.λ. Essay on Language § 41. pp. 78-79. The change to σύ (see v. rr.) is slight, but rather weakens the expression.
77. mvp-comment-51-1 τὰ τῶν θεῶν ἔντιμα What is held honourable amongst the Gods. Cp. θεῶν νόμιμα, infr. 454-455: 1.ε. τὰ τῶν θεῶν ὄντα καὶ ὑπὸ τῶν θεῶν ἀγόμενα ἐν τιμῇ. Hh ἀτιμάσασ᾽ ἔχε] Persist in slighting. 78. ἐγὼ ποιοῦμαι I do not mean to show disrespect. She shrinks from saying distinctly τὰ τῶν θεῶν.
79. mvp-comment-52-1 ἔφυν By nature and position.
82. mvp-comment-53-1 ταλαίνης after οἴμοι: σου after ὑπερδέδοικα. But this distinction is hardly felt in the Greek.
83. mvp-comment-54-1 ἐξόρθου Continue to direct safely, as if steering a vessel.
85. mvp-comment-55-1 σὺν δ' See Essay on Language § 18. p. 26.
86. mvp-comment-56-1 The Epic πολλόν is curious, but need not be changed. Cp. Tr. 1196, πολλὸν δ᾽ ἄρσεν᾽ ἐκτεμόνθ᾽ ὁμοῦ | ἄγριον ἔλαιον. Other Epic forms in this play are ὡσεί τε, infr. 653; ὑπαί, infr. 1035: εἰν ῞Αιδου δόμοις, 1241. A lukewarm spirit is above all hateful to Antigone. If Ismene disapproves her act, let her denounce it. ἐὰν μή, κ.τ.λ., further explains σιγῶσ'. Cp. Ο. Τ. 57, ἔρημος ἀνδρῶν μὴ ξυνοικούντων ἔσω.
88. mvp-comment-57-1 θερμὴν .. ἔχεις Your courage is hot upon a cold enterprize.
88. mvp-comment-57-2 ψυχροῖσι] Chilling, i.e. Causing a cold thrill of horror. Cp. Aesch. Prom. 691-693, οὐδ᾽ ὧδε δυσθέατα καὶ δυσοιστὰ ... ψύχειν ψυχὰν ἐμάν. Also with an association from the meaning fruitless; cp. Hdt. 9. 49, ἐπαρθεὶς ψυχρῇ νίκῃ.
91. mvp-comment-58-1 Cp. 1. 926, παθόντες ἂν ξυγγνοῖμεν ἡμαρτηκότες.
94. mvp-comment-59-1 ἐχθρὰ .. δίκῃ And our dead brother will justly hold you as an enemy: ἐχθράν σε προσθήσεται: ср. Eur. Τr. 185, τῷ πρόσκειμαι δούλα; Who has me for his slave.
95. mvp-comment-60-1 τὴν ἐξ ἐμοῦ That proceeds from me; i. e. For which I alone am responsible. See Essay on Language § 19. p. 28. 1
96. mvp-comment-61-1 πείσομαι γὰρ οὐ The reading οὐ, for which some critics would substitute οὖν, is confirmed (1) by the tendency to a vehement accumulation of negatives in the speeches of Antigone in this scene: (2) by the similar emphatic inversions noticed in the Essay on Language § 41. p. 78.
99. mvp-comment-62-1 τοῖς φίλοις δ᾽ ὀρθῶς φίλη But unfailing in kindness to thy friends; i. e. A faithful sister to thine own brother. Cp. Eur. Or. 424, ἀληθὴς δ᾽ ἐς φίλους ἔφυν φίλος. Antigone goes to perform the sepulture, and Ismene returns into the palace. The stage is left vacant. As in the Ajax, there is a distinct break after the prologue, which has laid the ground of the action so far as Antigone is concerned. The first episodion, ll. 163 ff., is in one sense a fresh beginning, as setting forth the motives of Creon, and still only preparing for the collision. The parados, ll. 100 ff., introduces us to the public feeling of Thebes, and to the wider sphere of which the action forms the central point. 100 ff. Instead of a long series of anapaests, followed by lyrical strophes and antistrophes, as in the Ajax (with which cp. Aesch. Agamemnon), we have here two strophes and antistrophes alternating with anapaestic systems of about seven lines each: making a form of parodos intermediate between that of the Ajax and that of the O. T., in which there are no anapaests. The α' (100-109=117-133). chorus on its first appearance chants ll. 100-109, then advances while the coryphaeus recites 110-116, then the antistrophe is chanted, then another advance is made during the recitative of 11. 127-133, then strophe B' is chanted, the chorus by this time standing near the stage; then they make a final advance, and, during the second antistrophe, are standing full in front of the stage. Lastly, as Creon is seen approaching, the coryphaeus chants ll. 155-162, which thus form at once the conclusion of the parodos and the introit or prelude of the first episodium.
99. mvp-comment-62-2 The total effect is that of a stately and solemn triumph, in which the bright influence of the glyconic opening is tempered with slow movements (---), as in ll. 106, 122, 137, 151, and interrupted rhythms, as in ll. 103, 120, 138, 152; the notes of triumph and solemnity being combined in the choriambi, which bring the lyrical part to a close. Thus we have- β΄ (134-140=148-154). CI IICCーしー CLトくトCCI 51--10CICIC ト 1001010110010||| ――トしてトー luclcclcULCII) C- 「SƆIDII7 5トレトしし LCCLLCCLLCCLLCCLI トリトー The culmination of feeling is marked by the dactylic opening of β'. The rhythms of a' 3. 4, 6, and β' 3, 4, show the correlation of the two movements. The adaptation of sound to sense is specially obvious in the resolved trochees of a' 7, while the concluding lines, a' 8, β' 7, serve to harmonize the logaoedic with the anapaestic measures. Cp. O. C. 135-137, 167-169.
99. mvp-comment-62-3 'Never did morning rise so fair as this which thou didst bring at length to waiting Thebè, O eye of golden day! For thy first beams, shooting over Dircè's rills, stirred into quicker flight the Argive warrior, who for Polynices' quarrel swooped upon our land on snow-white wing, with many a shield and many a plumèd helm.
99. mvp-comment-62-4 Threatening our halls in towering pride he stood, and gaped with bristling spears around our gates, thirsting for our blood: but he is gone, or ever his desire was slaked, or ever the fire-god caught our coronal of towers. Such fight displayed the serpent writhing in his gripe, not easily subdued. Such din of war assailed him as he turned to flee. For Zeus abhors the boaster and contemns the clank of gold. And when he saw them moving in a full proud stream, he smote with lightning from on high the daring climber who had gained the pinnacle and was eagerly preparing to shout victory. And swung to earth he fell with a rebound, the firebearer, who with mad rush was breathing his blast of enmity against the wall. And various was the fortune of the day. But terrible was the War-god as he plunged amidst our enemies, a mighty helper for us.
99. mvp-comment-62-5 'For at all our gates their captains, seven against seven, left their panoplies as trophies to our cause. All, save the horrid pair, who fell together with the guilt of mutual fratricide.
99. mvp-comment-62-6 But forget we the griefs of war. For victory came with smiles of joy to greet our smiling town. So visit we the temples of the gods with dances all night long: and let Theban Bacchus be the master of our revelry.
103. mvp-comment-63-1 χρυσέας χρυσέας, as in O. T. 158-187.
106. mvp-comment-64-1 The rivulet of Dircè was to the west of Thebes. The sun had risen just as the retreat of the Argives became a rout, and the army returning from pursuit would see the morning light reflected in the stream, which they would cross on their way back to the city. Cp. Eur. Phoen. 730. The ode is not chanted at sunrise, but celebrates the glorious morning which had seen the discomfiture of the enemy. The chorus of elders imagine themselves in the position of the victorious army.
106. mvp-comment-64-2 λεύκασπιν Cp. Aesch. S. c. Т. 96, λευκοπρεπή λέων: Eur. Phoen. 1099, λεύκασπιν εἰσορῶμεν Ἀργείων στράτον.
106. mvp-comment-64-3 Αργόθεν The correspondence of a dactyl in the antistrophe to the trochee Αργό- in this line justly leads to suspicion of the text, and Hermann conjectured Ἀργόθεν ἐκ. Qy. Ἀργόλεων ? or Ἀργογενή ?
108. mvp-comment-65-1 φυγάδα πρόδρομον (1) Running before us in flight. Said from the point of view of the pursuing host. Or (2), In the van of the flying host. The Schol. on Phoen. 409 says, φασὶ .. τὸν Ἀδραστον .. μόνον φυγάδα σωθῆναι ὑπὸ τοῦ ἰδίου ἵππου Ἀρείονος. Cp. Paus. 8.25. § 5.
109. mvp-comment-66-1 χαλινῷ Either (1) literally Riding with hastier rein, or (2) metaphorically, With thy hastening bridle in his lips. The first (1) is best. If (2) were adopted, the reading ὀξυτόρῳ, galling (see v. rr.), might be preferred.
110. mvp-comment-67-1 *ὃς .. *Πολυνείκους The emendation of Scaliger improves the sense as well as the grammar. The imagery throughout represents not Polynices, but his Argive ally. The subject of the single fight between the two brothers is passed lightly over, as unsuited to a triumphal hymn.
111. mvp-comment-68-1 ἀρθεὶς.. ἐξ ἀμφιλόγων Carried forth in consequence of the doubtful quarrel (the quarrel and debate) of Polynices. ἀρθείς is said with allusion to αἴρειν στόλον, but also suggests the image of the bird mounting in air. Cp. Il. 13. 63, of the hawk, ἀπ' αἰγίλιπος πέτρης περιμήκεος ἀρθείς, Eur. Phoen. 636-637. For the play on the name of Polynices, see Essay on Language § 44. p. 82.
113. mvp-comment-69-1 The omission of ὡs in this line, which Herm. suggested, is hardly necessary, although it does not impair the sense. The correspondence of strophe and antistrophe does not extend strictly to the anapaests, although the anapaestic systems in this passage are nearly of the same length.
114. mvp-comment-70-1 λευκῆς χιόνος πτέρυγι See Essay on Language § 9. p. 11, and cp. l. 106.
114. mvp-comment-70-2 στεγανός Covered all over; i. e. There were no gaps in their array.
115-116. mvp-comment-71-1 πολλῶν μεθ᾽ ὅπλων | ξύν θ᾽ ἱπποκόμοις κορύθεσσι Accompanied with many a shield and armed with many a helm.
117. mvp-comment-72-1 στάς Staying his flight, like the bird of prey preparing to stoop. At this point the image, which has hitherto grown in distinctness, becomes less definite, the figure of an eagle passing into that of a flying dragon, with spears for teeth. Cp. Shak. K. John, 2. 1, O, now doth Death Line his dead chaps with steel, etc. Also the image in Milton's Samson Agonistes, 11. 1692-1696.
117. mvp-comment-72-2 φονώσαισιν Boeckh's emendation at once cures the metre and supplies a poetical touch which corresponds to the explanation of the Scholiast, ταῖς τῶν φονῶν ἐρώσαις λόγχαις. It is confirmed by the reading of L² pr. See v. rr.
118. mvp-comment-73-1 ἀμφιχανὼν.. στόμα Yawning round our seven-mouthed gates.
120. mvp-comment-74-1 ἔβα He went his way. For the use of the aorist of βαίνω in this sense, cp. Od. 22. 249, καὶ δή οἱ Μέντωρ μὲν ἔβη, κενὰ εὔγματα εἰπών: Τr. 115, βάντ᾽ ἐπιόντα τ', Some gone, others coming on.
121. mvp-comment-75-1 γένυσιν With his jaws. Instrumental dative.
121. mvp-comment-75-2 πλησθῆναί τε καὶ ἑλεῖν For the change of subject in these lines, cp. Aj. 458, ἐχθαίρομαι, μισεῖ δέ, κ.τ.λ. And for στεφάνωμα πύργων, cp. Pind. Ol. 8. 32, Ἰλίῳ μέλλοντες ἐπὶ στέφανον τεύξαι : Hom. h. Dem. 151, .. κρήδεμνα πόληος | εἰρύαται ...
124. mvp-comment-76-1 τοῖος .. δράκοντι (1) Such din of war was spread about his rear by the reluctant snake, no easy matter to subdue. So the Scholiast, who wrote τὸ δὲ ἀντιπάλῳ δράκοντι ἀντὶ τοῦ ὑπὸ τοῦ ἀντιπάλου δράκοντος, ὡς Ἀχιλῆϊ δαμασθείς (Il. 22. 55). Or (2) δυσχείρωμα may be taken to mean the act rather than the object of victory (cp. O. Τ. 560, θανασίμῳ χειρώματι), and the sense may be, Such din of war encompassed him, issuing in a hard-won victory for the serpent matching his foe. In this case it will make little difference to read the genitive. Or, (3) if the genitive is read (Wecklein), the words may be taken in yet another way: Such din of war harassed him from behind, the hard-to-be-subdued might of the serpent, who was a match for his foe. The genitive is given as an alternative reading by the 1st hand of L, and is supported by V (Ven. 468). But the dative is alone recognised by the Scholiast.
124. mvp-comment-76-2 The δράκων is certainly the emblem of Thebes, and the eagle and snake are in conflict, as in Il. 12. 201, foll., where also the serpent struggles and escapes : ὁ δ᾽ οὔπω λήθετο χάρμης, | κόψε γὰρ αὐτὸν ἔχοντα κατὰ στήθος παρὰ δειρὴν | ἰδνωθεὶς ὀπίσω· ὁ δ᾽ ἀπὸ ἕθεν ἧκε χαμάζε, κ.τ.λ. Hor. Carm. 4. 4, 11, Nunc in reluctantes dracones | Egit amor dapis atque pugnae.
129. mvp-comment-77-1 πολλῷ ῥεύματι προσνισσομένους Coming on in full proud stream. Like a great river filling its banks.
130. mvp-comment-78-1 χρυσοῦ καναχῆς ὑπερόπτης] Despiser of the clank of gold. Cp. Aesch. Agam. 776, τὰ χρυσόπαστα δ᾽ ἐσθλὰ σὺν πίνῳ χερῶν | παλιντρόποις ὄμμασιν | λιπούσ', ὅσια προσέβα: S. c. T. 481-485. The Scholiast, who wrote καὶ τὴν τοῦ χρυσοῦ φαντασίαν ὑπερβεβηκότας τῇ ἰδίᾳ ὑπεροψίᾳ, seems to have read ὑπερόπτας, which appears in the margin of some copies. The ὑπεροψία of his interpretation may have given rise to ὑπεροπτίας, as in conjunction with this it has suggested ὑπεροπλίαις, (Vauvillers, who compares II. 1. 205). Musgr. and Böckh are contented with ὑπεροπτείας, abstr. noun of ὑπερόπτης, gen. with ῥεύματι, In floods of supercilious pride.
131. mvp-comment-79-1 παλτῷ ῥιπτεῖ πυρί (1) Hurls down with brandished thunderbolt. Or possibly (2) ῥιπτεῖ is a more emphatic substitute for βάλλει = Smites from afar. The word παλτῷ suggests the zig-zag flicker of the lightning.
131. mvp-comment-79-2 βαλβίδων .. ἀλαλάζαι As, having reached the topmost goal, he was eager to raise the cry of victory. βαλβίδες are the end of the race-course, metaphorically applied here to the top of the wall to which Capaneus had climbed, and so receiving the epithet ἄκρων.
131. mvp-comment-79-3 βαλβίδων may be also taken as abl. gen, with ῥιπτεῖ, and only resumed with ἄκρων. But this is questionable.
133. mvp-comment-80-1 The subject of ὁρμῶντα (Capaneus) is anticipated from the following lines, viz. ὅς, κ.τ.λ.
134. mvp-comment-81-1 ἀντιτύπᾳ This conj. of Porson has been generally received. He fell upon the earth, that smote him again; i.e. He fell with a shock. The Scholia explain ἀντίτυπα, which is against metre.
134. mvp-comment-81-2 τανταλωθείς Swung. As if the scale that had been the lightest had suddenly become the heaviest. Cp. Hom. Il. 22. 212, ῥέπε δ᾽ Ἕκτορος αἴσιμον ἦμαρ, | ᾤχετο δ᾽ εἰς Ἀἰδαο.
135. mvp-comment-82-1 πυρφόρος With the fire in his hand, with which he had threatened the town. O. C. 1318: Aesch. S. c. T. 422, ff.
135. mvp-comment-82-2 ὁρμᾷ Observe the tautology after ὁρμῶντ', supra.
136-137. mvp-comment-83-1 Had breathed against us in frenzy with blasts of malignant winds. Cp. infra 929-930: O. C. 612 and note: Aesch. S. c. T. 115, πνοαῖς Ἄρεος.
138. mvp-comment-84-1 εἶχε δ᾽ ἄλλᾳ τὰ μέν· κτ.λ.] This was in one direction: whilst on other men terrible fortune was dispensed by mighty Ares rushing on them like a steed harnessed upon our right hand. For the use of ἔχω with the locative adv., see L. and S. s. v. ἔχω, Β. 11. Ι. The reading in the text is suggested by that of V (Ven. 468), a MS. of the 13th century, which, together with many obvious corruptions, has preserved some good readings. See on O. T. 1526. This MS. reading is curiously near the conj. of Musgrave, εἶχε δ᾽ ἄλλᾳ τὰ δείν᾽. The epithet, as read in the text, may be suggested by a forefeeling of what is coming. Even the end of Capaneus is less awful than that of Eteocles and Polynices (144 ff.). Hermann's reading, εἶχε δ᾽ ἄλλᾳ μὲν ἄλ | λᾳ· τὰ δ᾽ ἐπ᾿ ἄλλοις, makes good enough sense; Plat. Rep. 2. 369 Β, οὕτω δὴ ἄρα παραλαμβάνων ἄλλος ἄλλον ἐπ᾿ ἄλλου, τὸν δ᾽ ἐπ᾿ ἄλλου χρείᾳ : but the synaphea between the cretics and the choriambi is questionable. And the same objection applies to Wecklein's εἶχε δ' ἄλλᾳ τὰ τοῦδ᾽· | ἄλλα δ᾽ ἐπ᾿ ἄλλοις.
140. mvp-comment-85-1 δεξιόσειρος The War-god taking part with Thebes and bounding hither and thither over the plain is compared to the σειραῖος ἵππος, whose free action was so important at critical moments in the chariot-race. Cp. El. 721-722, δεξιὸν δ᾽ ἀνεὶς | σειραῖον ἵππον εἶργε τὸν προσκείμενον: Aesch. Agam. 841-842, μόνος δ' Οδυσσεύς, ὅσπερ οὐχ ἑκὼν ἔπλει | ζευχθείς ἕτοιμος ἦν ἐμοὶ σειραφόρος. The reading δεξιόχειρος is probably erroneous. It is acknowledged as a variant by the Scholiast.
141. mvp-comment-86-1 Capaneus, who is one of the seven adversaries, is already disposed of. But the general description in 141-143, is only preparatory to the chief statement, 144-147, from which, however, the chorus pass quickly, as they approach it with aversion. What is of the best omen must be kept to the front. For ἴσοι πρὸς ἴσους, cp. Hdt. 9. 49, ἴσοι πρὸς ἴσους ἄριθμον μαχεσόμεθα.
142-143. mvp-comment-87-1 'Left the tribute of their brazen panoplies to Zeus, who turns the battle.'
144-147. mvp-comment-88-1 Neither could despoil the other, since both were slain. And the citizens could not dedicate to Zeus arms polluted with kindred blood.
145. mvp-comment-89-1 αὑτοῖν i. e. ἀλλήλοιν: ἑαυτούς, ἀλλήλους. Hesych.
146. mvp-comment-90-1 δικρατεῖς λόγχας στήσαντε Having pointed their two spears, of which either was victorious. The spears are not hurled, as commonly in the Iliad, but held firmly as the combatants rush at each other. Cp. Hom. Il. 4. 307 (quoted by Donaldson), ὃς δέ κ᾿ ἀνὴρ ἀπὸ ὧν ὀχέων ἕτερ᾽ ἅρμαθ' ἵκηται | ἔγχει ὀρεξάσθω, ἐπεὶ ἢ πολὺ φέρτερον οὕτως.
147. mvp-comment-91-1 'Both have their portion in mutual death: i.e. Each strove for sole inheritance, but they share equally-in a death;' which each has given and each has received. See on l. 57. The spirit of the words is the same as those of Aesch. S. c. T. 726 ff.: O. C. 790.
149. mvp-comment-92-1 ἀντιχαρεῖσα Exchanging looks of joy. Cp. χαίρειν γέλωτι, Χen. Cyr. 8.1.33.
149. mvp-comment-92-2 Θήβη, as in Pindar, is the personification of Θήβαι, for which it is used consistently throughout this play. Cp. Od. 7. 80, εὐρυάγυιαν Ἀθήνην.
150. mvp-comment-93-1 ἐκ μὲν δὴ πολέμων .. λησμοσύvav Turning from the present wars, appoint ye forgetfulness of them. For the pleonastic use of ἐκ, see Essay on Language § 19. p. 27. The reading θέσθαι, which has good MS. authority and preserves the metrical correspondence with l. 137, is retained by some editors as an infinitive for imperative. Cp. infr. 1142, μολεῖν. For the expression, cp. Eur. Phoen. 1584,5, ὡς ὥρα τάφου | μνήμην τίθεσθαι.
153. mvp-comment-94-1 παννυχίοις Cp. Ο. Τ. 1090: Aesch. Ag. 23, 24. καὶ χορῶν κατάστασιν | πολλῶν ἐν Ἄργει τῆσδε συμφορᾶς χάριν.
153. mvp-comment-94-2 ὁ Θήβας δ'. . ἄρχοι And let Bacchus, Thebe's God. who shakes the earth (with revelry), lead on the dance. Schol. ὁ Θήβας Βακχεῖος, ὁ Θηβαγενὴς Διόνυσος, ὁ τῆς Θήβης πολίτης, ὁ ἐλελίχθων, ἄρχοι τῆς χορείας. See Essay on Language § 9. p. 11.
156. mvp-comment-95-1 The metre requires either the addition of one (or three) anapaests or the omission of νεοχμός. Dindorf's supposition that νεοχμός νεαραῖσι has grown in some way out of νεοχμοῖσι is in itself probable enough, but the omission of some word like *ἄρχων after βασιλεύς is equally so. The spectator is thus reminded that Creon is young in power.
157-158. mvp-comment-96-1 νεαραῖσι .. συντυχίαις In consequence of the recent god-sent fortune. These words are to be joined with the whole sentence, though chiefly with ἐρέσσων. Creon's accession, his coming, and the counsel which he brings, all follow closely on the events of the war. The question is, what is that counsel?
159. mvp-comment-97-1 τίνα δή This is preferable to τινὰ δή, which Aldus printed from Ven. 467 (V3).
159. mvp-comment-97-2 On ἐρέσσων = Moving, Advancing. see Essay on Language p. 87, and cp. Aj. 251, τοίας ἐρέσσουσιν ἀπειλάς.
160-161. mvp-comment-98-1 ὅτι. προὔθετο That he hath appointed. ὅτι gives the reason of the question.
160. mvp-comment-99-1 σύγκλητον Specially convened. The word is used, after the analogy of the σύγκλητος ἐκκλησία at Athens, for an assembly specially summoned by the στρατηγός. λέσχη is less formal than βουλή. Cp. Ο. C. 166.
161. mvp-comment-100-1 προὔθετο The middle voice implies that Creon had summoned the elders of his own motion. So καλέσσατο of Achilles in Il. 1. 54.
162. mvp-comment-101-1 κοινῷ κηρύγματι πέμψας Having cited us by a message sent to us all.
162. mvp-comment-101-2 κοινῷ = Inclusive. πέμψας] i. e. στείλας πομποῖσιν, as Creon expresses himself in ll. 164-165. 162-210. Creon's first error is not mere self-will, but an excessive zeal for the honour of the state, to which all private feelings must give way (183-184, 187-190). His spirit of self-assertion is however already felt, esp. in ll. 173, 191, 207-10. And the unconsciousness of one young in power is shown in the self-inculpating words in ll. 175-177. He characteristically dwells on the virtue of loyalty (165-169, 209-210) and the crime of rebellion (199-202): and his passionate nature is betrayed by the exaggerated expression in l. 208. Cp. O. T. 216 ff. and note. The frequent occurrence of the Ist personal pronoun is a significant feature of both these speeches.
162. mvp-comment-101-3 τὰ μὲν δὴ πόλεος As for the state. This form of expression suits the introduction of a subject before the form of sentence is determined. πόλιν, rather than τὰ πόλεος, is the object of σείσαντες and ὤρθωσαν.
162. mvp-comment-101-4 ἀσφαλῶς Unharmed, = ἄνεν τοῦ σφαλῆναι,
163. mvp-comment-102-1 ὥρθωσαν Have righted the vessel of the state.
165-166. mvp-comment-103-1 τὰ Λαΐου. κράτη Knowing that you ever duly reverenced the enthroned authority of Laius. Λαΐου is governed by θρόνων κράτη taken as one word, θρόνων being added to supplement κράτη. σέβοντας and μένοντας, infr. 166, 169, are imperfects = ὅτι ἐσέβετε .. ἐμένετε,
167. mvp-comment-104-1 ὤρθου Kept on a safe course: i. e. Governed prosperously. The word recalls the happiness of the first period of Oedipus' rule. Cp. Plat. Men. P. 99 C, ᾗ οἱ πολιτικοὶ ἄνδρες χρώμενοι τὰς πόλεις ὀρθοῦσιν : Phaedr. 244 B. 168-169. ἀμφὶ .. φρονήμασιν]. Ye still remained loyal to their issue with unshaken minds. ἀμφί, Surrounding, as ready to defend. The apodosis is made to suit the latter protasis, ἐπεὶ διώλετο, and that of the former protasis, ἡνίκ' . . πόλιν (viz. ἐκείνῳ ὁμοίως πειθομένους οι the like), is thus absorbed.
167. mvp-comment-104-2 κείνων . . παῖδας i. e. Sons of Oedipus and grandsons of Laius.
172. mvp-comment-105-1 αὐτόχειρι Fratricidal. See Essay on Language p. 91.
174. mvp-comment-106-1 γένους κατ᾿ ἀγχιστεῖα By privilege of being nearest in kindred (ὡς ἀγχιστεύων) to the dead. Cp. πρωτεία, etc.
175. mvp-comment-107-1 παντὸς ἀνδρός Of any man, and therefore of me.
176. mvp-comment-108-1 ψυχήν. . φρόνημα.. γνώμην As observed in the Essay on Language pp. 91-3, the opposition between these words is chiefly formal. So far as there is any difference between them, ψυχήν is mind, or nature, φρόνημα, spirit, or way of thinking, (cp. infr. 207), and γνώμην, judgment or meaning.
176-177. mvp-comment-109-1 πρὶν ἂν ἀρχαῖς.. φανῇ “Until he be seen in his true colours through being tried in office and administration.' According to the saying of Bias, ἀρχὴ τὸν ἄνδρα δείξει (Arist. Eth. Nic. 5. 1. 16). There is an allusion to the detection of spurious coin through wear. Cp. Aesch. Ag. 390-392, κακοῦ δὲ χαλκοῦ τρόπον | τρίβῳτε καὶ προσβολαῖς | μελαμπαγὴς πέλει | δικαιωθείς (where Herm. says, 'Vereor autem ne non de lapide Lydio loquatur poeta, sed aes adulterinum dicat, quod usu tritum amisso falso splendore cognoscitur'): Hdt. 7. 10, ὥσπερ τὸν χρυσὸν τὸν ἀκήρατον, αὐτὸν μὲν ἐπ᾿ ἑαυτοῦ οὐ διαγινώσκομεν, ἐπεὰν δὲ
178. mvp-comment-110-1 ἐμοὶ γάρ The connection is not strictly logical. γάρ explains not the difficulty of discerning the difference between rulers, but the essential point on which the difference turns. In setting forth this, Creon also declares the spirit of his own policy. He is feeling his way with the elders, of whose submission he is not perfectly sure, and beats about the bush before coming to the point with them. Hence he repeats the same thought in different words.
178-183. mvp-comment-111-1 The sentiment of these lines is closely parallel to Plat. Legg. 9. 856 B, ὃς ἂν ἄγων εἰς ἀρχὴν ἄνθρωπον δουλῶται μὲν τοὺς νόμους, ἑταιρείας δὲ τὴν πόλιν ὑπήκοον ποιῇ, καὶ βιαίως δὲ πᾶν τοῦτο πράττων καὶ στάσιν ἐγείρων παρανομῇ· τοῦτον δὴ διανοεῖσθαι δεῖ πάντων πολεμιώτατον ὅλῃ τῇ πόλει, τὸν δὲ κοινωνοῦντα μὲν τῶν τοιούτων μηδενί, τῶν μεγίστων δὲ μετέχοντα ἀρχῶν ἐν τῇ πόλει, λεληθότα τε ταῦτα αὐτὸν ἢ μὴ λεληθότα, δειλίᾳ δ᾽ ὑπὲρ πατρίδος αὑτοῦ μὴ τιμωρούμενον, δεῖ δεύτερον ἡγεῖσθαι τὸν τοιοῦτον πολίτην κακῇ.
180.
mvp-comment-112-1
ἐγκλείσας Locked up. Cp. Shakespeare, Richard II, 1. 3,
Within my mouth you have engaoled my tongue, | Doubly portcullised with my teeth and lips. Infr. 505, εἰ μὴ γλῶσσαν ἐγκλείσαι φόβος.
182. mvp-comment-113-1 μείζον᾽.. ἀντί Essay on Language § 19. p. 27. Cp. Od. 7. 216, στυγερῇ ἐπὶ γαστέρι κύντερον.
183. mvp-comment-114-1 οὐδαμοῦ λέγω Plat. Gorg. 456 C, οὐδαμοῦ ἂν φανῆναι, supr. 32. 184 ff. Having shown what makes the good and bad ruler, Creon declares his own intentions, first generally, and then (192 ff.) with reference to Eteocles and Polynices. γάρ implies that his opinion will be proved by his acts. In both statements (178-183, 184-190) the stress is laid on the duty of renouncing friendship with the public enemy (182-183, 187-188), which is the ground of the present edict, Polynices being presumably Creon's private friend: supr. 174.
186. mvp-comment-115-1 στείχουσαν ἀστοῖς Menacing my people. Cp. supr. l. 10: Aesch. Prom. 1089-1090, τοιάδ᾽ ἐπ᾿ ἐμοὶ ῥιπὴ Διόθεν, | τεύχουσα φόβον, στείχει φανερῶς. For the dative, Essay on Language § 12. p. 18.
187. mvp-comment-116-1 δυσμενή χθονός Who is my country's foe. The genitive avoids the awkwardness of two datives, χθονί and ἐμαυτῷ, coming close together.
189-190.
mvp-comment-117-1
She it is who preserves us, and we make friends only while she carries us in the course of public safety; i. e. The friendship that is made against the interest of the state is hollow and insecure. Cp. Thuc. 2. 60: (Pericles loq.) ἐγὼ γὰρ ἡγοῦμαι πόλιν πλείω ξύμπασαν ὀρθουμένην ὠφελεῖν τοὺς ἰδιώτας, ἢ καθ᾿ ἕκαστον τῶν πολιτῶν εὐπραγοῦσαν, ἀθρόαν δὲ σφαλλομένην, κ.τ.λ.: Zaleuc. ap. Stob. (Mullach, p. 543), πόλις γὰρ εὖ ἀγομένη μεγίστη ὄρθωσίς ἐστι, καὶ ἐν τούτῳ πάντα ἔνι, καὶ τούτου σωζομένου πάντα σώζεται καὶ τούτου φθειρομένου πάντα διαφθείρεται: Shakespeare. King John, 3. 1, Pand.
All form is formless, order orderless, | Save what is opposite to England's love. On the change of pronouns (ἥδε.. ταύτης), see Essay on Language § 22. p. 32. The article in τοὺς φίλους points the reference to ll. 182-183.
191. mvp-comment-118-1 τοιοίσδε νόμοισι By such principles as these. Cp. infr. 908, τίνος νόμου δὴ ταῦτα πρὸς χάριν λέγω;
192. mvp-comment-119-1 ἀδελφὰ τῶνδε i. e. In full accord with them. Cp. Plat. Rep. 4. 421 C, ἆρ᾽ οὖν .. καὶ τὸ τούτου ἀδελφὸν δύξω σοι μετρίως λέγειν; Lys. 2. 64, ἀδελφὰ τὰ βουλεύματα τοῖς ἔργοις : Ο. C. 1262, ἀδελφὰ . . τούτοισιν.
193. mvp-comment-120-1 τῶν ἀπ᾿ Οιδίπου For the pleo- 190 195 200 nastic use of the preposition, see above 150, 182, and notes.
195. mvp-comment-121-1 πάντ᾿ ἀριστεύσας δορί After proving himself in all ways the bravest in the war. For the aor., cp. Hdt. 9. 74, alib.
196. mvp-comment-122-1 τὰ πάντ᾽ ἐφαγνίσαι ‘Το add all sacred offerings.'
199. mvp-comment-123-1 θεοὺς τοὺς ἐγγενεῖς The gods of his race; i. e. Those honoured by the Cadmeans. The gods of the race also include the ancestors of the race. Infr. 938, θεοὶ προγενεῖς.
201. mvp-comment-124-1 πρῆσαι κατάκρας The city (γῆν = πόλιν) is thought of as the main object of the verb.
201. mvp-comment-124-2 ἠθέλησε δ' The correspondence of clauses (with μέν and δέ) is not perfect, the antithesis being due to afterthought.
201. mvp-comment-124-3 αἵματος .. πάσασθαι ‘Το repast him with blood of his own kin.' The expression suits the Epic colouring of the whole speech.
202. mvp-comment-125-1 τοὺς δέ The rest; i. e. Those not slain, as implied in the opposition το αἵματος κοινοῦ πάσασθαι. 203.
202. mvp-comment-125-2 ἐκκεκήρυκται Musgrave's correction has been generally adopted, lopted, and is probably right. The impersonal verb gives absoluteness to the expression. Wolff construes the inf. with λέγω in 198 (deleting the comma after τοῦδε), and Wecklein reads λέγω for τάφῳ. The slight corruption is probably due to a reminiscence of supr. 27.
205. mvp-comment-126-1 δέμας is accusative of limitation, and ἄθαπτον and ἐδεστόν are masculine. To leave him unburied, to have his flesh consumed by birds and dogs.
206. mvp-comment-127-1 αἰκισθέντ᾿ ἰδεῖν A spectacle of indignity. Lit. Outraged to behold. The infinitive is added after the participle, which is masculine.
207. mvp-comment-128-1 Cp. 176, ψυχήν τε καὶ φρόνημα καὶ γνώμην.
209-210. mvp-comment-129-1 θανών | καὶ ζῶν In death as well as in life. The first word is the more emphatic. Essay on Language p. 78.