Sophocles, Antigone, Friedrich Hölderlin (Translator), 118

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ANTIGONAE

Sey gutes Muths! du lebst, doch meine Seele,

Längst ist siettodt, so dass ich Todten diene.

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)) — 118 focus

σαισιν ἀμφιχανὼν κύκλῳ

Greek (A. Boeckh, 1884) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (A. Boeckh, 1884)) — 118 focus

λόγχαις ἑπτάπυλον στόμα

Greek (F. H. Bothe, 1806) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (F. H. Bothe, 1806)) — 118 focus

αισιν ἀμφιχανὼν κύκλῳ

Greek (Lewis Campbell, 1879) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (Lewis Campbell, 1879)) — 118 focus

λόγχαις ἑπτάπυλον στόμα,

Greek (A. Colonna, 1978) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (A. Colonna, 1978)) — 118 focus

σαισιν ἀμφιχανὼν κύχλῳ

Greek (A. Dain, 1955) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (A. Dain, 1955)) — 118.mvp-line-118 focus

σαισιν ἀμφιχανὼν κύκλῳ

Greek (R. D. Dawe, 1979) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (R. D. Dawe, 1979)) — 118 focus

σαισιν ἀμφιχανὼν κύκλωι

Greek (G. Hermann, 1830) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (G. Hermann, 1830)) — 118 focus

σαισιν ἀμφιχανὼν κύκλῳ

Greek (R. C. Jebb, 1906) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (R. C. Jebb, 1906)) — 118 focus

λόγχαις ἑπτάπυλον στόμα, 2

Greek (A. C. Pearson, 1924) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (A. C. Pearson, 1924)) — 118.mvp-line-118 focus

σαισιν ἀμφιχανὼν κύκλῳ

Antigone (OCR draft) Experimental (Antigone) — 118 focus

λόγχαις ἑπτάπυλον στόμα

Greek (K. Reinhardt, 1949) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (K. Reinhardt, 1949)) — 118 focus

σαισιν ἀμφιχανὼν κύκλωι

Translations (10)

German (A. Boeckh, 1884) (OCR draft) Experimental (German (A. Boeckh, 1884)) — 118 focus

ISMENE

Was kränkst du so mich, ohne daſs dir's Nutzen bringt?

Spanish (J. A. Bolufer, 1921) (OCR draft) Experimental (Spanish (J. A. Bolufer, 1921)) — 118 focus

ISMENA

Pues, en verdad, igual de las dos ès es el delito.

Latin (F. H. Bothe, 1806) (OCR draft) Experimental (Latin (F. H. Bothe, 1806)) — 118 focus

Ismene

Atqui par est utriusque delictum.

English (Lewis Campbell, 1906) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Lewis Campbell, 1906)) — 118 focus

ISM

Yet truly we are both alike in fault.

German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review) (OCR draft) Experimental (German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review)) — 117 focus

Ueber den Dächern stehend, umgähnt'

Er den siebenthorigen Mund

Mit blutlechzenden Speeren rings,

Und floh, eh' in unserem Blut
120

Sich sein gieriger Schlund

Schwelgend füllt und ehe den Kranz der Thürme

Flammenglut des Hephästos fraß.

Also braust' im Rücken umher

Donner des Kriegs; schwer wurde der Kampf
125

Dem anstürmenden Drachen.¹

English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759)) — 118 focus

Ismene

O king ! (The mind doth seldom keep her

seat

When sunk beneath misfortunes.) i-.

Spanish (A. G. Garbin, 1889) (OCR draft) Experimental (Spanish (A. G. Garbin, 1889)) — 118 focus

ISMENA

¿Y de qué otro modo podré servirte en este trance?

English (Sir Richard Jebb1, 1904) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Sir Richard Jebb1, 1904)) — 118 focus

Ismene

Howbeit, the offence is the same for both of us.

English (Robert Potter, 1788) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Robert Potter, 1788)) — 118 focus

Creon

Wisdom by him, by one so green in years?

HEM. Nothing that is not just: though few my years,

Not what my age, but what is right regard.

Is it then just to favour those, who dare

To disobey?

I wish no favour.

To those, whose deeds are ill,

Hath not she been found

Deep-tainted with this ill ?

Not such the voice

Of Thebes through all its state.

English (Sir Richard Jebb2, 1904) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Sir Richard Jebb2, 1904)) — 100-160 focus

Enter the Chorus on the right.

Chorus

Shaft of the sun, fairest light of all that have dawned on Thebes of the seven gates, you have shone forth at last, eye of golden day, advancing over Dirce’s streams!
100

You have goaded with a sharper bit the warrior of the white shield, who came from Argos in full armor, driving him to headlong retreat.
105

110

Chorus

He set out against our land because of the strife-filled claims of Polyneices, and like a screaming eagle he flew over into our land, covered by his snow-white wing,
110

with a mass of weapons and crested helmets.
115

117

Chorus

He paused above our dwellings; he gaped around our sevenfold portals with spears thirsting for blood; but he left

before his jaws were ever glutted with our gore, or before the Fire-god’s pine-fed flame had seized our crown of towers.
120

So fierce was the crash of battle swelling about his back, a match too hard to win for the rival of the dragon.
125

127

Chorus

For Zeus detests above all the boasts of a proud tongue. And when he saw them advancing in a swollen flood,

arrogant their clanging gold, he dashed with brandished fire one who was already starting to shout victory when he had reached our ramparts.
130

134

Chorus

Staggered, he fell to the earth with a crash,

torch in hand, a man possessed by the frenzy of the mad attack, who just now was raging against us with the blasts of his tempestuous hate. But his threats did not fare as he had hoped, and to the other enemies mighty Ares dispensed each their own dooms with hard blows,
135

Ares, our mighty ally at the turning-point.
140

141

Chorus

For the seven captains, stationed against an equal number at the seven gates, left behind their brazen arms in tribute to Zeus the turner of battle—all but the accursed pair who, born of one father and one

mother, set against each other their spears, both victorious, and who now share in a common death.
145

148

Chorus

But since Victory whose name is glory has come to us, smiling in joy equal to the joy of chariot-rich Thebes ,

let us make for ourselves forgetfulness after the recent wars, and visit all the temples of the gods with night-long dance and song. And may Bacchus, who shakes the earth of Thebes , rule our dancing!
150

155

Chorus

But look, the king of the land is coming here, Creon, the son of Menoeceus, our new ruler in accordance with the new circumstances fated by the gods. What policy is he setting in motion,
155

that he has proposed this special conference of elders, and summoned it by a general mandate?
160

Commentary

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

mvp-comment-343-1 κακῶν ἄγευστος ¹

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

582. mvp-comment-342-1 The fate of Antigone is sealed, and the chorus moralize over the power of fate and of Zeus, as shown in the continued calamities of the race of Labdacus, and the infatuation ('quem Deus vult perdere, prius dementat ') of Antigone. The spectator is left free to apply the same reflections to the case of Creon.

582. mvp-comment-342-2 'Calamity is like a storm that stirs the lowest depths and sounds afar. The race once touched is never free. Each generation as it rises is struck down.

582. mvp-comment-342-3 'The house of Labdacus has sorrow upon sorrow. Amidst the ruined grove one root was springing, only to be swept under by the cruel dues of Hades in a frenzy of infatuation.

582. mvp-comment-342-4 Who can restrain the power of Zeus? Unchecked by sleep or age he ever dwells in the light of Olympus. This was and shall be now and evermore, a truth that spareth not the lives of men, whom hope deceives, giving comfort indeed, but also inspiring passionate folly, till disappointment comes, before the man hath seen that he is treading on fire. Wise was he who said that evil seemeth good to one whom God is drawing to perdition. Few are the days of his exemption from that dark lot.

582. mvp-comment-342-5 The 1st strophe opens solemnly with three dactylo-epitritic or Doric lines, which are followed by iambic and trochaic rhythms. The 2nd strophe is logaoedic, with syncope of thesis in ll. 3, 5, 7, 11 a'. β'. ILCCICcl alcl- LullLCClcclcla 10101010 51-1 CLL下CICLI トCICICI CCICCICLI 1101007ID トトー CCCII 100II

582. mvp-comment-342-6 οἶσι .. αἰών Whose life is free from taste of misery. Blessed, because of the rarity of their lot, and because of the unsparing persistence of calamity when it comes to any. For κακῶν ἄγευστος, cp. Ο. Τ. 969, ἄψαυστος ἔγχους.

Sophocles Antigone 118

Friedrich Hölderlin (Translator)

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

ANTIGONAE

Sey gutes Muths! du lebst, doch meine Seele,

Längst ist siettodt, so dass ich Todten diene.

Current edition Experimental

ISMENE

Was kränkst du so mich, ohne daſs dir's Nutzen bringt?

ISMENA

Pues, en verdad, igual de las dos ès es el delito.

Ismene

Atqui par est utriusque delictum.

ISM

Yet truly we are both alike in fault.

Ismene

O king ! (The mind doth seldom keep her

seat

When sunk beneath misfortunes.) i-.

ISMENA

¿Y de qué otro modo podré servirte en este trance?

Ismene

Howbeit, the offence is the same for both of us.

Chorus

He set out against our land because of the strife-filled claims of Polyneices, and like a screaming eagle he flew over into our land, covered by his snow-white wing,
110

with a mass of weapons and crested helmets.
115

Chorus

For Zeus detests above all the boasts of a proud tongue. And when he saw them advancing in a swollen flood,

arrogant their clanging gold, he dashed with brandished fire one who was already starting to shout victory when he had reached our ramparts.
130

Chorus

But look, the king of the land is coming here, Creon, the son of Menoeceus, our new ruler in accordance with the new circumstances fated by the gods. What policy is he setting in motion,
155

that he has proposed this special conference of elders, and summoned it by a general mandate?
160

Commentary

Stable identifiers

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

ANTIGONAE Sey gutes Muths! du lebst, doch meine Seele, Längst ist siettodt, so dass ich Todten diene.

Current edition Experimental

ISMENE Was kränkst du so mich, ohne daſs dir's Nutzen bringt?

ISMENA Pues, en verdad, igual de las dos ès es el delito.

Ismene Atqui par est utriusque delictum.

ISM Yet truly we are both alike in fault.

Ismene O king ! (The mind doth seldom keep her seat When sunk beneath misfortunes.) i-.

ISMENA ¿Y de qué otro modo podré servirte en este trance?

Ismene Howbeit, the offence is the same for both of us.

Chorus He set out against our land because of the strife-filled claims of Polyneices, and like a screaming eagle he flew over into our land, covered by his snow-white wing, 110 with a mass of weapons and crested helmets. 115

Chorus For Zeus detests above all the boasts of a proud tongue. And when he saw them advancing in a swollen flood, arrogant their clanging gold, he dashed with brandished fire one who was already starting to shout victory when he had reached our ramparts. 130

Chorus But look, the king of the land is coming here, Creon, the son of Menoeceus, our new ruler in accordance with the new circumstances fated by the gods. What policy is he setting in motion, 155 that he has proposed this special conference of elders, and summoned it by a general mandate? 160

Commentary

Stable identifiers

ANTIGONAE

Sey gutes Muths! du lebst, doch meine Seele,

Längst ist siettodt, so dass ich Todten diene.

ISMENE

Was kränkst du so mich, ohne daſs dir's Nutzen bringt?

ISMENA

Pues, en verdad, igual de las dos ès es el delito.

Ismene

Atqui par est utriusque delictum.

ISM

Yet truly we are both alike in fault.

Ismene

O king ! (The mind doth seldom keep her

seat

When sunk beneath misfortunes.) i-.

ISMENA

¿Y de qué otro modo podré servirte en este trance?

Ismene

Howbeit, the offence is the same for both of us.

Chorus

He set out against our land because of the strife-filled claims of Polyneices, and like a screaming eagle he flew over into our land, covered by his snow-white wing,
110

with a mass of weapons and crested helmets.
115

Chorus

For Zeus detests above all the boasts of a proud tongue. And when he saw them advancing in a swollen flood,

arrogant their clanging gold, he dashed with brandished fire one who was already starting to shout victory when he had reached our ramparts.
130

Chorus

But look, the king of the land is coming here, Creon, the son of Menoeceus, our new ruler in accordance with the new circumstances fated by the gods. What policy is he setting in motion,
155

that he has proposed this special conference of elders, and summoned it by a general mandate?
160