Sophocles Antigone 11

Friedrich Hölderlin (Translator)

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ANTIGONAE

Von dir und mir mein’ ich, auch wenn du nicht es willst,

Den Bruder. Denn treulos fängt man mich nicht,

Antigone. Sophocles. Friedrich Hölderlin (Translator). Frankfurt am Main. 1804.

Funding provided by National Endowment for the Humanities.

Current edition Experimental

German (F. Hölderlin, 1804) (OCR draft) (German) (German (F. Hölderlin, 1804))

Provisional text from uncorrected OCR; expect errors.

Editions (12)

Greek (L. Benloew, 1858) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (L. Benloew, 1858)) — 11 focus

ἐμοὶ μὲν οὐδεὶς μῦθος, Ἀντιγόνη, φίλων

Greek (A. Boeckh, 1884) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (A. Boeckh, 1884)) — 11 focus

ἐμοὶ μὲν οὐδεὶς μῦθος, Ἀντιγόνη, φίλων

Greek (F. H. Bothe, 1806) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (F. H. Bothe, 1806)) — 11 focus

ἐμοὶ μὲν οὐδεὶς μῦθος, Ἀντιγόνη, φίλων

Greek (Lewis Campbell, 1879) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (Lewis Campbell, 1879)) — 11 focus

ἐμοὶ μὲν οὐδεὶς μῦθος, Ἀντιγόνη, φίλων

Greek (A. Colonna, 1978) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (A. Colonna, 1978)) — 11 focus

ἐμοὶ μὲν οὐδεὶς μῦθος, Ἀντιγόνη, φίλων

Greek (A. Dain, 1955) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (A. Dain, 1955)) — 11.mvp-line-11 focus

ἐμοὶ μὲν οὐδεὶς μῦθος, Ἀντιγόνη, φίλων

Greek (R. D. Dawe, 1979) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (R. D. Dawe, 1979)) — 11 focus

ἐμοὶ μὲν οὐδεὶς μῦθος, Ἀντιγόνη, φίλων

Greek (G. Hermann, 1830) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (G. Hermann, 1830)) — 11 focus

ἐμοὶ μὲν οὐδεὶς μῦθος, Ἀντιγόνη, φίλων

Greek (R. C. Jebb, 1906) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (R. C. Jebb, 1906)) — 11 focus

ἐμοὶ μὲν οὐδεὶς μῦθος, Ἀντιγόνη, φίλων

Greek (A. C. Pearson, 1924) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (A. C. Pearson, 1924)) — 11.mvp-line-11 focus

ἐμοὶ μὲν οὐδεὶς μῦθος, Ἀντιγόνη, φίλων

Antigone (OCR draft) Experimental (Antigone) — 11 focus

ἐμοὶ μὲν οὐδεὶς μῦθος, Ἀντιγόνη, φίλων

Greek (K. Reinhardt, 1949) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (K. Reinhardt, 1949)) — 11 focus

ἐμοὶ μὲν οὐδεὶς μῦθος, Ἀντιγόνη, φίλων

Translations (10)

German (A. Boeckh, 1884) (OCR draft) Experimental (German (A. Boeckh, 1884)) — 11 focus

ISMENE

Bestatten willst du gar ihn wider dies Verbot?

Spanish (J. A. Bolufer, 1921) (OCR draft) Experimental (Spanish (J. A. Bolufer, 1921)) — 11 focus

Antígona

A mi hermano, y no al tuyo, si tú no quieres; pues nunca dirán de mí que lo he abandonado.

Latin (F. H. Bothe, 1806) (OCR draft) Experimental (Latin (F. H. Bothe, 1806)) — 11 focus

Antigone

Meum scilicet, tuumque , etiam si nofratrem: numquam enim proditionis me alligabo.

English (Lewis Campbell, 1906) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Lewis Campbell, 1906)) — 11 focus

ANT

To bury my own brother
45

And thine, even though thou wilt not do thy part.
45

I will not be a traitress to my kin.

German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review) (OCR draft) Experimental (German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review)) — 1 focus

Ismene, traute Schwester, vielgeliebtes Haupt,¹
1

Weißt du von einem Leide, das vom Vater her

Zeus nicht an uns vollendet, die wir leben noch?

Denn keinen Jammer gibt es, nichts Entsezliches,

Nichts Arges, nichts Schmachvolles, das ich nicht bereits
5

In deiner Noth gesehen und in meiner Noth.

Und welche Botschaft, heißt es, ließ jezt eben erst

Der Herrscher wieder allem Volk verkündigen?

Weißt du's, vernahmst du's, oder blieb dir unbekannt,

Daß unsern Lieben Böses naht von Feindesmacht?
10

Ismene.

Zu mir gelangte keine Kund', Antigone,

Von unsern Lieben, frohe nicht noch traurige,

Seitdem das Paar der Brüder uns entrissen ward,

Die Eines Tages fielen durch zwiefachen Mord.

Und seit in dieser jüngsten Nacht sich Argos' Heer
15

Zur Flucht gewendet, wurde mir nichts weiter kund,

Nicht, ob mir mehr des Glückes, ob des Leides ward.

Antigone.

Wohl wußt' ich das, und führte deßhalb dich heraus

Zum Thor des Hofes, dir allein es kundzuthun.

Ismene.

Was hast du? Sichtbar wogt in dir ein schweres Wort.
20

Antigone.

Hat Kreon nicht dem Einen Bruder nur gegönnt

Des Grabes Ehre, jenem sie schmachvoll versagt?

Den Eteokles hat er, wie man sagt, gerecht

Gerechter Ordnung huldigend, in der Erde Schooß

Geborgen, daß ihm Ehre sei im Todtenreich;²
25

Doch Polyneikes' jammervoll entseelten Leib

Verbot er, heißt es, allem Volk durch lauten Ruf

Im Grab zu bergen und um ihn zu klagen; nein,

Daliegen soll er unbeweint, grablos, ein Mahl

Den Vögeln, die zum süßen Raube niederschau'n.
30

Und solches, sagt man, ließ der edle Kreon dir

Und mir, ich sage mir sogar, verkündigen;

Er komme selbst, es deutlich Allen kundzuthun,

Die nicht davon vernommen, und er achte nicht

Für Nichts die Sache; sondern wer deß Eines thut,
35

Den trifft an offner Stätte Tod durch Steinigung.

So ward's von ihm beschlossen, und du zeigst sofort,

Ob edel, ob unedel du von Edlen stammst.

Ismene.

English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759)) — 11 focus

Ismene

Hath not the king

Pronounced it death to all?

Spanish (A. G. Garbin, 1889) (OCR draft) Experimental (Spanish (A. G. Garbin, 1889)) — 11 focus

ANTÍGONA

A mi hermano, sí; y aunque tú no lo quieras, el tuyo. Jamás será acusada Antígona de haber cometido una traición.

English (Sir Richard Jebb1, 1904) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Sir Richard Jebb1, 1904)) — 11 focus

Antigone

I will do my part,—and thine, if thou wilt not,—to a brother. False to him will I never be found.

English (Robert Potter, 1788) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Robert Potter, 1788)) — 11 focus

Creon

Not to show grace to those who disobey.

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-8-1 θεῖναι ¹

mvp-comment-8-2 τὸν στρατηγόν ²

mvp-comment-9-1 ἔχεις ³

mvp-comment-9-2 κεἰσήκουσας ⁴

mvp-comment-10-1 τῶν ἐχθρῶν κακά ⁵

mvp-comment-11-1 μέν ⁶ ἐμοί ⁷

mvp-comment-11-2 Ἀντιγόνη ⁸

mvp-comment-11-3 φίλων ⁹ μῦθος ¹⁰

mvp-comment-11-4 ἐξ ὅτου ¹¹

mvp-comment-12-1 δυοῖν … δύο ¹² δύο ¹³

mvp-comment-13-1 θανόντοιν ¹⁴

mvp-comment-13-2 διπλῇ χερί ¹⁵

mvp-comment-14-1 ἐπεί ¹⁶

mvp-comment-14-2 ἐν νυκτὶ τῇ νῦν ¹⁷

mvp-comment-14-3 ὑπέρτερον ¹⁸

mvp-comment-14-4 As

οἶδ’ εὐτυχοῦσα = οἶδ’ ὅτι εὐτυχῶ

, so the participles εὐτυχοῦσα ¹⁹ ἀτωμένη ²⁰

mvp-comment-15-1 ᾔδη ²¹ καλῶς ²²

mvp-comment-15-2 αὐλείων πυλῶν ²³

mvp-comment-15-3 ἐξέπεμπον ²⁴

mvp-comment-16-1 τί δ’ ἔστι ²⁵ δηλοῖς ²⁶

mvp-comment-16-2 καλχαίνουσ’ ἔπος τι ²⁷

mvp-comment-16-3 is figuratively used like the Homeric

πορφύρω

. In

πορφύρω

the idea of trouble precedes that of colour: in

καλχαίνω

, vice versa.

mvp-comment-17-1 οὐ γάρ ²⁸

mvp-comment-17-2 τὼ κασιγνήτω … τὸν μὲν … τὸν δέ ²⁹

mvp-comment-17-3 The place of τάφου ³⁰ προτίσας ³¹ τάφου ³² ἀτιμάσας ³³

mvp-comment-17-4 ἀτιμάσας ἔχει ³⁴

mvp-comment-18-1 σὺν δίκῃ | χρησθεὶς δικαίᾳ καὶ νόμῳ ³⁵ χρησθεὶς ³⁶ σὺν δίκης | χρήσει δικαίᾳ καὶ νόμου ³⁸ δίκης ³⁹ σύν ⁴⁰ δίκῃ ⁴¹ χρήσει ⁴² χρησθείς ⁴³ χρῆσθαι δικαιῶν ⁴⁴

mvp-comment-18-2 νόμου ⁴⁵

mvp-comment-19-1 τοῖς ἔνερθεν ἔντιμον νεκροῖς ⁴⁶ πᾶσι κλεινός ⁴⁷

mvp-comment-20-1 θανόντα … Πολυνείκους νέκυν ⁴⁸

mvp-comment-21-1 ἐκκεκηρῦχθαι ⁴⁹

mvp-comment-21-2 τὸ μὴ … καλύψαι ⁵⁰

mvp-comment-22-1 ἐᾶν δ’ ⁵¹ ἄταφον ἄκλαυτον ⁵²

mvp-comment-23-1 θησαυρόν ⁵³

mvp-comment-23-2 εἰσορῶσι ⁵⁴ εἰσορμῶσι ⁵⁵

mvp-comment-23-3 Take πρὸς χάριν βορᾶς ⁵⁶

mvp-comment-23-4 πρὸς χάριν ⁵⁷

mvp-comment-24-1 σοί ⁵⁸ κἀμοί ⁵⁹ κηρύξαντ’ ἔχειν ⁶⁰

mvp-comment-24-2 τὸν ἀγαθόν ⁶¹

mvp-comment-24-3 λέγω γὰρ κἀμέ ⁶²

mvp-comment-24-4 Two other explanations may be noticed. Both make σοι ⁶³ σοι ⁶⁴ τοιαῦτα ⁶⁵ κἀμοί ⁶⁶ σοι ⁶⁷ σοι ⁶⁸ ἀγαθόν ⁶⁹

mvp-comment-25-1 νεῖσθαι ⁷⁰

mvp-comment-25-2 τοῖσι μὴ εἰδόσιν ⁷¹

mvp-comment-26-1 παρ’ οὐδέν ⁷² ὡς ⁷³

mvp-comment-26-2 ὃς ἂν … δρᾷ ⁷⁴

mvp-comment-27-1 προκεῖσθαι ⁷⁵

mvp-comment-27-2 δημόλευστον ⁷⁶

mvp-comment-28-1 σοι ⁷⁷

mvp-comment-28-2 ἐσθλῶν ⁷⁸

mvp-comment-29-1 ὦ ταλαῖφρον ⁷⁹

mvp-comment-29-2 εἰ τάδ’ ἐν τούτοις ⁸⁰ ἐν τούτοις ⁸¹

mvp-comment-30-1 λύουσ’ … ἢ ’φάπτουσα ⁸² εἵθ’ ἅπτουσα ⁸³

mvp-comment-30-2 προσθείμην ⁸⁴

mvp-comment-30-3 πλέον ⁸⁵

mvp-comment-31-1 ξυμπονήσεις ⁸⁶ ξυνεργάσει ⁸⁷

mvp-comment-31-2 ποῖόν τι κινδύνευμα ⁸⁸

mvp-comment-31-3 Read

ποῦ γνώμης...εἶ

(from

εἶναι

): cp. El. 390

ποῦ ποτ’ εἶ φρενῶν

. The question between ποῦ ⁸⁹ ποῖ ⁹⁰

mvp-comment-32-1 εἰ ⁹¹ ξὺν τῇδε χερί ⁹²

mvp-comment-32-2 κουφιεῖς ⁹³

mvp-comment-32-3 ἦ γὰρ ⁹⁴

mvp-comment-32-4 σφε ⁹⁵

mvp-comment-32-5 ἀπόρρητον ⁹⁶

mvp-comment-32-6 πόλει ⁹⁷

mvp-comment-33-1 τὸν γοῦν ἐμὸν ⁹⁸ ἐμόν ⁹⁹ καὶ τὸν σόν, ἢν σὺ μὴ θέλῃς ¹⁰⁰ τὸν ἐμόν ¹⁰¹ τὸν σόν ¹⁰² ἀδελφόν ¹⁰³ γοῦν ¹⁰⁴ τὸν … ἐμὸν καὶ τὸν σόν ¹⁰⁵ καὶ ¹⁰⁶ ἤν ¹⁰⁷

mvp-comment-34-1 ἀδελφὸν … ἁλώσομαι ¹⁰⁸ ἀδελφόν ¹⁰⁹ οὐ γὰρ δή ¹¹⁰

mvp-comment-35-1 ὦ σχετλία ¹¹¹

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 ¹¹² μέτα ¹¹³ τῶν ἐμῶν ¹¹⁴ εἴργειν ¹¹⁵

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

1-17. mvp-comment-1-1 The opening speeches reveal the contrast between the sisters, while the affectionate address of Antigone in l. 1 gives greater emphasis to her violent outbreak in l. 69. Cp. О. Т. 85, and note.

7-8. mvp-comment-7-1 πανδήμῳ.. στρατηγόν The Thebans had gone forth πανδημεί under Creon's generalship, and he had made the proclamation as στρατηγός, before assuming the civil power. Cp. Thuc. 5. 60, § 5, τὰς ἀπὸ στρατείας δίκας πρὶν ἐσιέναι κρίνουσιν. The publicity of the edict makes it more painful. Antigone knows what she is doing. Infr. 44, 907.

9. mvp-comment-8-1 τι is adverbial.

10. mvp-comment-9-1 τῶν ἐχθρῶν When evils devised by enemies are threatening those we love. In the vehemence of her resentment she already speaks of Creon as an enemy. Cp. infr. 62. τὰ ἀπὸ τῶν ἐχθρῶν κακά, Schol. According to others τῶν ἐχθρῶν is abl. gen. passing from enemies, i.e. no longer directed towards them, or descriptive, evils which belong to enemies, i. e. which should be confined to them.

11. mvp-comment-10-1 οὐδεὶς μῦθος.. φίλων Νo word concerning any of our friends. Essay on Language § 9. p. 13.

12. mvp-comment-11-1 ἐξ ὅτου Sophocles has not been careful to mark the exact sequence of the events preceding the action of the Play. (See Introduction.) But the death of the brothers is supposed to have taken place some little time before the rout of the Argive host. Infr. 144-148.

14. mvp-comment-12-1 μιᾷ.. διπλῇ Essay on Language p. 69.

17. mvp-comment-13-1 μᾶλλον is redundant, the whole expression being epexegetic of οὐδὲν ὑπέρτερον, and in construction with οἶδα.

18-19. mvp-comment-14-1 καί σ'.. ἐξέπεμπον And it is for this that I have been leading thee forth. Thus a probable reason is given for the appearance of the two maidens before the gate. Their usual seclusion has been somewhat relaxed during the absence of Creon and Eteocles with the army. Infr. 578-579. Cp. El. 517.

20. mvp-comment-15-1 δηλοῖς γάρ τι καλχαίνουσ᾽ ἔπος It is plain that your thoughts are darkening with some troublous word.

20. mvp-comment-15-2 καλχαίνω is formed on a fancied analogy to πορφύρω, as this is used in Homer of the agitation of the sea, and, metaphorically, of the mind. According to others the first notion of καλχαίνω is to stir from the depths, as in dredging for the murex (κάλχη).

21. mvp-comment-16-1 τάφου is genitive of respect with both participles, but chiefly privative genitive ve ἀτιμάσας. See Essay on Language p. 66, 1, 68. She implies that both brothers had been dishonoured by the decree. Cp. infr. 515-517, οὐ μαρτυρήσει ταῦθ᾽ ὁ κατθανὼν νέκυς.. οὐ γάρ τι δοῦλος, ἀλλ᾽ ἀδελφὸς ὤλετο.

23. mvp-comment-17-1 ὡς λέγουσι, resumed in φασιν l. 27, φασι l. 31, points to the fact that the maidens in their seclusion could only know of the edict from hearsay.

23. mvp-comment-17-2 σὺν δίκῃ | †χρησθεὶς δικαίᾳ καὶ νόμῳ χρησθείς has been generally condemned, and ἐχρήσθην only occurs elsewhere in a strictly passive sense. Yet, as Shilleto observes (Journ. of Phil. No. 13, p. 149), ᾐδεσάμην and ᾐδέσθην, the former in lyric verse, the latter in senarii, are found within a few lines of each other in O. T. 647, 651; and χρησάμενος does not occur in Sophocles.

23. mvp-comment-17-3 Ἐτεοκλέα ἔκρυψε, χρησθεὶς (αὐτῷ) σὺν δίκῃ, is not impossible in point of syntax. On the other hand neither χρησθεὶς δίκαια, nor χρηστοῖς δικαίᾳ, nor προσθεὶς δίκαια, can be approved. In 1871 I suggested προθείς. After laying him out in state, with the righteous meed of honour and all customary observance, he has covered him in earth. Cp. Hdt. 1.112-115. 8, τρεῖς μὲν ἡμέρας προτιθέασι τὸν νεκρόν: inf. 196, καὶ τὰ πάντ᾽ ἐφαγνίσαι. This part of the treatment of Eteocles would contrast with the prohibition even to mourn for Polynices. Cp. Thuc. 2. 34, where the words καὶ ἐπιφέρει τῷ αὑτοῦ ἕκαστος ἤν τι βούληται throw some light on the custom implied in σὺν δίκῃ δικαίᾳ καὶ νόμῳ. For the emphatic δικαίᾳ, cp. Αj. 1100, ἐς ταφὰς ἐγὼ θήσω δικαίως: Hdt. 8. 106, νόμῳ δικαίῳ χρεώμενοι. προθείς may have been changed to προσθείς (which Donaldson conjectured), and to this may have been added an interlinear gloss ἃ χρή. Cp. 1. 243. κάφαγιστεύσας ἃ χρή. Another guess is χρῆσθαι δικαιῶν (sc. αὐτῷ). For similar fullness of expression on a solemn occasion, cp. O. T. 219, 259.

25. mvp-comment-18-1 τοῖς .. νεκροῖς Holding his honours amongst the dead; i.e. not ἄτιμος, or deprived of common rights.

26. mvp-comment-19-1 θανόντα .. νέκυν Cp. infr. 515, ὁ κατθανὼν νέκυς.

27. mvp-comment-20-1 ἐκκεκηρύχθαι Passive. That proclamation has been made. Cp. προκεῖσθαι, l. 36 .

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.