Sophocles Antigone 258

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Creon

1284 Oh Hades, all-receiving, whom no sacrifice can appease! Hast thou, then, no mercy for me? O thou herald of evil, bitter tidings, what word dost thou utter? Alas, I was already as dead, and thou hast smitten me anew! What sayest thou, my son? What is this new 1290 message that thou bringest—woe, woe is me !—of a wife’s doom, —of slaughter heaped on slaughter?

Antigone. Sophocles. Cambridge, UK. 1904.

Sponsored by Perseus Project, Tufts University.

Funding provided by Tufts University.

Current edition Experimental

English (Sir Richard Jebb1, 1904) (OCR draft) (English) (English (Sir Richard Jebb1, 1904))

Provisional text from uncorrected OCR; expect errors.

Editions (12)

Greek (L. Benloew, 1858) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (L. Benloew, 1858)) — 258 focus

λόγοι δ᾽ ἐν ἀλλήλοισιν ἐῤῥόθουν κακοὶ,

Greek (A. Boeckh, 1884) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (A. Boeckh, 1884)) — 258 focus

εἷς γάρ τις ἦν ἕκαστος οὑξειργασμένος,

Greek (F. H. Bothe, 1806) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (F. H. Bothe, 1806)) — 258 focus

φύλαξ ἐλέγχων φύλακα· κἂν ἐγίγνετο

Greek (Lewis Campbell, 1879) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (Lewis Campbell, 1879)) — 258 focus

ἐλθόντος, οὐ σπάσαντος, ἐξεφαίνετο.

Greek (A. Colonna, 1978) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (A. Colonna, 1978)) — 258 focus

ἐλθόντος, οὐ σπάσαντος, ἐξεφαίνετο.

Greek (A. Dain, 1955) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (A. Dain, 1955)) — 258.mvp-line-258 focus

ἐλθόντος, οὐ σπάσαντος, ἐξεφαίνετο.

Greek (R. D. Dawe, 1979) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (R. D. Dawe, 1979)) — 258 focus

ἐλθόντος, οὐ σπάσαντος ἐξεφαίνετο.

Greek (G. Hermann, 1830) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (G. Hermann, 1830)) — 258 focus

ἐλθόντος, οὐ σπάσαντος ἐξεφαίνετο.

Greek (R. C. Jebb, 1906) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (R. C. Jebb, 1906)) — 258 focus

ἐλθόντος, οὐ σπάσαντος ἐξεφαίνετο.

Greek (A. C. Pearson, 1924) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (A. C. Pearson, 1924)) — 258.mvp-line-258 focus

ἐλθόντος, οὐ σπάσαντος ἐξεφαίνετο.

Antigone (OCR draft) Experimental (Antigone) — 258 focus

ἐλθόντος, οὐ σπάσαντος ἐξεφαίνετο.

Greek (K. Reinhardt, 1949) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (K. Reinhardt, 1949)) — 258 focus

ἐλθόντος, οὐ σπάσαντος ἐξεφαίνετο.

Translations (9)

German (A. Boeckh, 1884) (OCR draft) Experimental (German (A. Boeckh, 1884)) — 258 focus

BOTE.

Ich schaudre selbst auch; doch die Hoffnung nährt mich noch,

des Kindes Unglück hörend wolle nicht der Stadt
1190

sie zeigen ihre Klagen, sondern drin im Haus

mit ihren Frau'n beweinen dieses eigne Leid.

Nicht unverständig ist sie, daſs sie frevelte.

Spanish (J. A. Bolufer, 1921) (OCR draft) Experimental (Spanish (J. A. Bolufer, 1921)) — 258 focus

CREONTE

1281 ¿Qué hay, pues, peor que el mismo mal?

Latin (F. H. Bothe, 1806) (OCR draft) Experimental (Latin (F. H. Bothe, 1806)) — 258 focus

Verna

Occidit uxor tua, vera mater huius mortui infelix, inflicto recens vulmere.

English (Lewis Campbell, 1906) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Lewis Campbell, 1906)) — 258 focus

CR
1294

Alas!

Again I see a new, a second woe.
1295

What more calamitous stroke of Destiny

Awaits me still? But now mine arms enfold

My child, and lo! yon corse before my face!

Ah! hapless, hapless mother, hapless son!
1300

German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review) (OCR draft) Experimental (German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review)) — 278 focus

Schon lang, o König, überlegt mein Inneres,

Ob eine Gottheit diese That nicht angeregt.

Kreon.

Schweig', eh mich deine Rede gar mit Zorn erfüllt,
280

Daß du, der Alte, nicht zugleich als Thor erscheinst.

Denn unerträglich ist es, daß du sagen magst,

Die Götter trügen Sorge für den Todten dort.

Sie hätten, wie zu schöner That Verherrlichung,

Den Mann begraben, der mit Brand zu tilgen kam
285

Die säulumringten Tempel und der Gaben Schmuck,

Und ihre Fluren, ihr Gesez zu stürzen sann?

Wann sahst du Frevler je geehrt durch Götterhuld?

Nie wahrlich, nie! Doch lange murrten schon darum,

Ungern gehorsam, wider mich die Bürger hier,
290

Geheim die Häupter schüttelnd; ja, sie hielten nicht

Pflichttreu den Nacken unter'm Joch, wie's mir genügt.

Von ihnen wurden jene, sicher weiß ich das,

Durch Lohn verleitet und verübten diese That.

Denn wahrlich, nichts von Allem, was bei Menschen gilt,
295

Ist, wie das Geld, verderblich: dies mag Städte selbst

Zerstören, dies treibt Männer aus von Hof und Herd;

Dies unterweiset und verkehrt den edlen Sinn

Rechtschaff'ner Männer, nachzugeh'n ruchloser That,

Zeigt an die Wege böser List den Sterblichen,
300

Und bildet sie zu jedem gottverhaßten Werk.

Doch die für Lohn gedungen diese That vollbracht,

Erwirkten sich's nun endlich, daß sie Strafe trifft.

Ia, wenn noch irgend Ehre Zeus von mir empfängt,

So sei versichert, und mein Schwur betheur' es dir:
305

Wofern ihr nicht den Frevler, der den Todten dort

Bestattet, aufspürt und mir hier vor Augen stellt,

Genügt es nicht an eurem Tode nur, ihr sollt

Am Kreuze hängen, bis ihr offenbart die Schmach,

Auf daß ihr, wissend, wo Gewinn zu suchen sei,
310

Ihn künftig dort erhaschet und begreifen lernt,

Daß nicht in Allem nach Gewinn zu spähen frommt.

Denn mit dem Preis des Schlechten wirst du Mehrere

Unglücklich enden, als das Glück gewinnen seh'n.

Der Wächter.

English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759)) — 258 focus

Creon
1284

O death insatiate ! how dost thou afflict me !

What cruel news, thou messenger of ill,

Hast thou brought now ?

Spanish (A. G. Garbin, 1889) (OCR draft) Experimental (Spanish (A. G. Garbin, 1889)) — 258 focus

EL CORO

¡Oh, Tiresias, cuán verdaderas eran tus predicciones!

German (F. Hölderlin, 1804) (OCR draft) Experimental (German (F. Hölderlin, 1804)) — 258 focus

KREON

Sie schlägt die schwarzen Augen auf. Was klagt sie?

English (Sir Richard Jebb2, 1904) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Sir Richard Jebb2, 1904)) — 332-380 focus

Chorus

Wonders are many, and none is more wonderful than man.

This power spans the sea, even when it surges white before the gales of the south-wind, and makes a path under swells that threaten to engulf him. Earth, too, the eldest of the gods, the immortal, the unwearied,
335

he wears away to his own ends, turning the soil with the offspring of horses as the plows weave to and fro year after year.
340

343

Chorus

The light-hearted tribe of birds

and the clans of wild beasts and the sea-brood of the deep he snares in the meshes of his twisted nets, and he leads them captive, very-skilled man. He masters by his arts
345

the beast who dwells in the wilds and roams the hills. He tames the shaggy-maned horse, putting the yoke upon its neck, and tames the tireless mountain bull.
350

354

Chorus

Speech and thought fast as the wind and the moods that give order to a city he has taught himself, and how to flee the arrows of the inhospitable frost under clear skies and the arrows of the storming rain.

He has resource for everything. Lacking resource in nothing he strides towards what must come. From Death alone he shall procure no escape, but from baffling diseases he has devised flights.
360

365

Chorus

Possessing resourceful skill, a subtlety beyond expectation he moves now to evil, now to good. When he honors the laws of the land and the justice of the gods to which he is bound by oath,
365

his city prospers. But banned from his city is he who, thanks to his rashness, couples with disgrace. Never may he share my home,
370

never think my thoughts, who does these things!
375

376

Enter the Guard, on the spectators’ left, leading in Antigone.

Chorus

What marvel sent by the gods is this?—I am bewildered! I know her. How can I deny that this girl is Antigone? O unhappy child

of your unhappy father, of Oedipus! What can this mean? What! Surely they are not bringing you captive for disobeying the King’s laws and being caught in lunacy?
380

Commentary

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

mvp-comment-776-1 δυσκάθαρτος Ἅιδου λιμήν ¹ λιμήν ²

mvp-comment-777-1 κακάγγελτα ³

mvp-comment-777-2 προπέμψας ⁴

mvp-comment-778-1 ἐπεξειργάσω ⁵

mvp-comment-779-1 ὦ παῖ ⁶

mvp-comment-779-2

αὖ

(instead of

ὦ παῖ τίνα

), has not much palaeographical probability. It gives, indeed, a closer correspondence with 1266. But the form of dochmiac which the MS. reading gives here is equally correct. (See Analysis. Met.) Seidler was certainly right in omitting

λόγον

(see cr. n.): and that remedy suffices.

mvp-comment-779-3 Construe: τίνα νέον σφάγιον γυναικεῖον μόρον λέγεις ἀμφικεῖσθαί μοι ἐπ’ ὀλέθρῳ ⁷

mvp-comment-779-4 But another version is possible, if

μοι

is taken with

ἀμφικεῖσθαι

: ‘besetting me,’

ἐπ’ ὀλέθρῳ

, for (my) ruin. Cp. 1285

τί μ’ ὀλέκεις

; For

ἐπί

, cp. Thuc. 4.86

οὐκ ἐπὶ κακῷ, ἐπ’ ἐλευθερώσει δέ

. The difficulty is that

ἀμφικεῖσθαι

cannot well be said of one sorrow (Eurydicè's death), and that, therefore, we have to evolve from the epithet

νέον

the notion of a circle of woes of which this

μόρος

is one. Thus the image would be much more obscurely expressed than that in Ai. 351 ,

ἴδεσθέ μ’ οἷον ἄρτι κῦμα φοινίας ὑπὸ ζάλης | ἀμφίδρομον κυκλεῖται

, (‘behold what a surge hath but now burst around me and hemmed me in, under stress of a deadly storm,’) where Ajax is sitting in the midst of the carnage which he has wrought. It is altogether improbable that

ἀμφικεῖσθαι

alludes to Eurydicè's corpse having been brought (by the

ἐκκύκλημα

) into such a position that Creon stood between it and Haemon's. See 1298, where Creon speaks of her as being

ἔναντα

.

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

1284. mvp-comment-719-1 δυσκάθαρτος Ἅιδου λιμήν] O harbour of Hades, hard to cleanse; i. e. Choked with the dead. Cp. Hell has enlarged herself, and opened her mouth without measure.'

1289-1292. mvp-comment-720-1 What new thing dost thou tell me? that the slaughter of a wife is heaped upon the previous ruin?' ὦ παῖ is probably a corruption of alaî, suggested by the general thought that Creon is lamenting for his son.