Sophocles Antigone 348

κρατεῖ δὲ μηχαναῖς ἀγραύλου 5

Antigone. Sophocles. Cambridge, UK. 1906.

Sponsored by Perseus Project, Tufts University.

Funding provided by Tufts University.

Current edition Experimental

Greek (R. C. Jebb, 1906) (OCR draft) (Greek) (Greek (R. C. Jebb, 1906))

Provisional text from uncorrected OCR; expect errors.

Editions (11)
Greek (L. Benloew, 1858) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (L. Benloew, 1858)) — 348 focus
θηρὸς ὀρεσσιβάτα, λασιαύχενά θ᾽
Greek (A. Boeckh, 1884) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (A. Boeckh, 1884)) — 348 focus
όν τ᾽ ἀκμῆτα ταῦρον.
Greek (F. H. Bothe, 1806) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (F. H. Bothe, 1806)) — 348 focus
θηρὸς ὀρεσσιβάτα, λασιαύχενα
Greek (Lewis Campbell, 1879) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (Lewis Campbell, 1879)) — 348 focus
κρατεῖ δὲ μηχαναῖς ἀγραύλου
Greek (A. Colonna, 1978) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (A. Colonna, 1978)) — 348 focus
δὲ μηχαναῖς ἀγραύλου
Greek (A. Dain, 1955) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (A. Dain, 1955)) — 348.mvp-line-348 focus
περιφραδὴς ἀνήρ· κρατεῖ
Greek (R. D. Dawe, 1979) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (R. D. Dawe, 1979)) — 348 focus
δὲ μηχαναῖς ἀγραύλου
Greek (G. Hermann, 1830) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (G. Hermann, 1830)) — 348 focus
κρατεῖ δὲ μηχαναῖς ἀγραύλου
Greek (A. C. Pearson, 1924) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (A. C. Pearson, 1924)) — 348.mvp-line-349 focus
δὲ μηχαναῖς ἀγραύλου
Antigone (OCR draft) Experimental (Antigone) — 348 focus
κρατεῖ δὲ μηχαναῖς ἀγραύλου
Greek (K. Reinhardt, 1949) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (K. Reinhardt, 1949)) — 348 focus
δὲ μηχαναῖς ἀγραύλου
Translations (2)
German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review) (OCR draft) Experimental (German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review)) — 343 focus
Flüchtiger Vögel leichte Schaar
Und wildschwärmendes Volk im Wald,
Auch die wimmelnde Brut der See
Fängt er listig umstellend ein
345
Mit nezgeflochtenen Garnen,
Der vielbegabte Mensch.
Er zwingt mit schlauer Kunst des Landes
Bergdurchwandelndes Wild, und den mähnigen
Nacken umschirrt er dem Roß mit dem Joche rings,
350
Wie dem freien Stier der Berghöh'n.
Zweite Strophe.
English (Sir Richard Jebb2, 1904) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Sir Richard Jebb2, 1904)) — 332-380 focus

Commentary

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

mvp-comment-6-1 αἰσχρόν 1 ἄτιμον 2

mvp-comment-6-2 ὁποῖον οὐ … οὐκ ὄπωπα 3

mvp-comment-6-3 τῶν … κακῶν 4 ὄπωπα 5

mvp-comment-7-1 αὖ 6

mvp-comment-7-2 πανδήμῳ πόλει 7

mvp-comment-8-1 θεῖναι 8

mvp-comment-8-2 τὸν στρατηγόν 9

mvp-comment-9-1 ἔχεις 10

mvp-comment-9-2 κεἰσήκουσας 11

mvp-comment-10-1 τῶν ἐχθρῶν κακά 12

mvp-comment-11-1 μέν 13 ἐμοί 14

mvp-comment-11-2 Ἀντιγόνη 15

mvp-comment-11-3 φίλων 16 μῦθος 17

mvp-comment-11-4 ἐξ ὅτου 18

mvp-comment-12-1 δυοῖν … δύο 19 δύο 20

mvp-comment-13-1 θανόντοιν 21

mvp-comment-13-2 διπλῇ χερί 22

mvp-comment-14-1 ἐπεί 23

mvp-comment-14-2 ἐν νυκτὶ τῇ νῦν 24

mvp-comment-14-3 ὑπέρτερον 25

mvp-comment-14-4 As

οἶδ’ εὐτυχοῦσα = οἶδ’ ὅτι εὐτυχῶ
, so the participles εὐτυχοῦσα 26 ἀτωμένη 27

mvp-comment-15-1 ᾔδη 28 καλῶς 29

mvp-comment-15-2 αὐλείων πυλῶν 30

mvp-comment-15-3 ἐξέπεμπον 31

mvp-comment-16-1 τί δ’ ἔστι 32 δηλοῖς 33

mvp-comment-16-2 καλχαίνουσ’ ἔπος τι 34

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 35

mvp-comment-17-2 τὼ κασιγνήτω … τὸν μὲν … τὸν δέ 36

mvp-comment-17-3 The place of τάφου 37 προτίσας 38 τάφου 39 ἀτιμάσας 40

mvp-comment-17-4 ἀτιμάσας ἔχει 41

mvp-comment-18-1 σὺν δίκῃ | χρησθεὶς δικαίᾳ καὶ νόμῳ 42 χρησθεὶς 43 σὺν δίκης | χρήσει δικαίᾳ καὶ νόμου 45 δίκης 46 σύν 47 δίκῃ 48 χρήσει 49 χρησθείς 50 χρῆσθαι δικαιῶν 51

mvp-comment-18-2 νόμου 52

mvp-comment-19-1 τοῖς ἔνερθεν ἔντιμον νεκροῖς 53 πᾶσι κλεινός 54

mvp-comment-20-1 θανόντα … Πολυνείκους νέκυν 55

mvp-comment-21-1 ἐκκεκηρῦχθαι 56

mvp-comment-21-2 τὸ μὴ … καλύψαι 57

mvp-comment-22-1 ἐᾶν δ’ 58 ἄταφον ἄκλαυτον 59

mvp-comment-23-1 θησαυρόν 60

mvp-comment-23-2 εἰσορῶσι 61 εἰσορμῶσι 62

mvp-comment-23-3 Take πρὸς χάριν βορᾶς 63

mvp-comment-23-4 πρὸς χάριν 64

mvp-comment-24-1 σοί 65 κἀμοί 66 κηρύξαντ’ ἔχειν 67

mvp-comment-24-2 τὸν ἀγαθόν 68

mvp-comment-24-3 λέγω γὰρ κἀμέ 69

mvp-comment-24-4 Two other explanations may be noticed. Both make σοι 70 σοι 71 τοιαῦτα 72 κἀμοί 73 σοι 74 σοι 75 ἀγαθόν 76

mvp-comment-25-1 νεῖσθαι 77

mvp-comment-25-2 τοῖσι μὴ εἰδόσιν 78

mvp-comment-26-1 παρ’ οὐδέν 79 ὡς 80

mvp-comment-26-2 ὃς ἂν … δρᾷ 81

mvp-comment-27-1 προκεῖσθαι 82

mvp-comment-27-2 δημόλευστον 83

mvp-comment-28-1 σοι 84

mvp-comment-28-2 ἐσθλῶν 85

mvp-comment-29-1 ὦ ταλαῖφρον 86

mvp-comment-29-2 εἰ τάδ’ ἐν τούτοις 87 ἐν τούτοις 88

mvp-comment-30-1 λύουσ’ … ἢ ’φάπτουσα 89 εἵθ’ ἅπτουσα 90

mvp-comment-30-2 προσθείμην 91

mvp-comment-30-3 πλέον 92

mvp-comment-31-1 ξυμπονήσεις 93 ξυνεργάσει 94

mvp-comment-31-2 ποῖόν τι κινδύνευμα 95

mvp-comment-31-3 Read

ποῦ γνώμης...εἶ
(from
εἶναι
): cp. El. 390
ποῦ ποτ’ εἶ φρενῶν
. The question between ποῦ 96 ποῖ 97

mvp-comment-32-1 εἰ 98 ξὺν τῇδε χερί 99

mvp-comment-32-2 κουφιεῖς 100

mvp-comment-32-3 ἦ γὰρ 101

mvp-comment-32-4 σφε 102

mvp-comment-32-5 ἀπόρρητον 103

mvp-comment-32-6 πόλει 104

mvp-comment-33-1 τὸν γοῦν ἐμὸν 105 ἐμόν 106 καὶ τὸν σόν, ἢν σὺ μὴ θέλῃς 107 τὸν ἐμόν 108 τὸν σόν 109 ἀδελφόν 110 γοῦν 111 τὸν … ἐμὸν καὶ τὸν σόν 112 καὶ 113 ἤν 114

mvp-comment-34-1 ἀδελφὸν … ἁλώσομαι 115 ἀδελφόν 116 οὐ γὰρ δή 117

mvp-comment-35-1 ὦ σχετλία 118

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 119 μέτα 120 τῶν ἐμῶν 121 εἴργειν 122

mvp-comment-37-1 νῷν 123 ἀπώλετο 124 ἀπεχθής 125 ἀπώλετο 126 ἔπειτα 127

mvp-comment-38-1 πρὸς … ἀμπλακημάτων … ἀράξας 128

mvp-comment-38-2 αὐτοφώρων 129

mvp-comment-38-3 ἀράξας 130

mvp-comment-38-4 αὐτὸς αὐτουργῷ χερί 131 αὐτός 132 αὐτ. χερί 133

mvp-comment-39-1 διπλοῦν ἔπος 134 πάθος 135

mvp-comment-39-2 ἀρτάναισι 136

mvp-comment-40-1 δύο … μίαν 137

mvp-comment-40-2 αὐτοκτονοῦντε 138

mvp-comment-41-1 κατειργάσαντ’ 139

mvp-comment-41-2 ἐπαλλήλοιν χεροῖν 140 ἐπ’ ἀλλήλοιν 141 χεροῖν 142 οιν 143 ἐπαλλήλοιν 144 χεροῖν 145

mvp-comment-42-1 νῦν δ’ αὖ 146 δ’ 147 νῦν αὖ 148 αὖ 149

mvp-comment-42-2 μόνα δή 150

mvp-comment-43-1 ψῆφον 151

mvp-comment-43-2 τυράννων 152

mvp-comment-43-3 κράτη 153 ἢ 154 καὶ 155

mvp-comment-44-1 τοῦτο μὲν 156 ἐννοεῖν 157 ἔπειτα δ’ 158

mvp-comment-44-2 ὡς 159 οὐ μαχουμένα 160

mvp-comment-45-1 οὕνεκ’ 161

mvp-comment-45-2 ἐκ 162

mvp-comment-45-3 ἀκούειν 163 ταῦτα 164 ἀλγίονα 165

mvp-comment-46-1 ἐγὼ μὲν οὖν 166

mvp-comment-46-2 τοὺς ὑπὸ χθονός 167

mvp-comment-46-3 βιάζομαι τάδε 168

mvp-comment-47-1 τοῖς ἐν τέλει βεβῶσι 169 βεβῶσι 170

mvp-comment-47-2 τὸ γὰρ | ...πράσσειν 171

mvp-comment-47-3 περισσὰ πρ 172

mvp-comment-47-4 οὐκ ἔχει νοῦν οὐδ. 173

mvp-comment-48-1 ἔτι 174

mvp-comment-48-2 πράσσειν … δρῴης 175 δρῴης 176 ἄν 177 ἡδέως 178 γε 179 ἡδέως γε ἂν ἐμοῦ 180 <)μοῦ 181 γε 182 ἐμοί γ’ 183 μέτα 184 ἀσμένης 185 ἡδέως 186 ἐμοῦ γε 187

mvp-comment-49-1 ἴσθ’ 188

mvp-comment-49-2 όποία σοι δοκεῖ 189 ἴσθ’ 190 ὁποῖά σοι δοκεῖ 191

mvp-comment-50-1 θάψω 192

mvp-comment-50-2 φίλη … φίλου 193

mvp-comment-50-3 μετ’ αὐτοῦ κείσομαι 194 μετά 195

mvp-comment-51-1 ὅσια πανουργήσασ’ 196 ὅσια 197

mvp-comment-51-2 ἐπεὶ κ.τ.λ. 198

mvp-comment-51-3 τῶν ἐνθάδε 199

mvp-comment-52-1 κείσομαι 200

mvp-comment-52-2 σοὶ δ’ 201 σὺ δ’ 202 εἰ δοκεῖ 203

mvp-comment-52-3 τὰ τῶν θεῶν ἔντιμα 204

mvp-comment-52-4 ἀτιμάσασ’ ἔχε 205

mvp-comment-53-1 ἐγὼ 206 μέν 207 δέ 208

mvp-comment-53-2 ἄτιμα ποιοῦμαι 209

mvp-comment-53-3 τὸ δὲ | ...δρᾶν 210

mvp-comment-54-1 τάδ’ ἂν προὔχοιο 211

mvp-comment-54-2 δὴ 212

mvp-comment-54-3 τάφον χώσουσ’ 213

mvp-comment-55-1 Join οἴμοι ταλαίνης 214

mvp-comment-55-2 μὴ ’μοῦ προτάρβει 215 τὸν σόν 216 μὴ ’μοῦ 217 προτάρβει 218

mvp-comment-55-3 ἐξόρθου 219

mvp-comment-56-1 ἀλλ’ οὖν … γε 220 ἀλλά 221 οὖν 222

mvp-comment-56-2 κρυφῆ δέ 223

mvp-comment-56-3 σὺν δ’ 224

mvp-comment-56-4 αὔτως 225

mvp-comment-57-1 καταύδα 226

mvp-comment-57-2 πολλόν 227 πολλὸν 228

mvp-comment-57-3 σιγῶσ’ 229 ἐὰν … τάδε 230 πᾶσι 231

mvp-comment-58-1 θερμὴν ἐπὶ ψυχροῖσι 232 ἐπί 233 θερμήν 234

mvp-comment-59-1 ἁδεῖν 235

mvp-comment-60-1 εἰ καὶ δυνήσει γ’ 236 καὶ 237 δυνήσει 238 εἰ καί 239

mvp-comment-61-1 Since οὐκοῦν 240 δὴ 241 ὅταν 242

mvp-comment-61-2 πεπαύσομαι 243

mvp-comment-62-1 ἀρχήν 244

mvp-comment-63-1 ἐχθαρεῖ 245

mvp-comment-63-2 ἐξ ἐμοῦ 246

mvp-comment-64-1 ἐχθρὰ...τῷ θανόντι προσκείσει δίκῃ 247 προσκείσει 248 ἐχθρά 249

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 250

mvp-comment-65-2 τὴν ἐξ ἐμοῦ δυσββουλίαν 251

mvp-comment-65-3 τὸ δεινὸν τοῦτο 252

mvp-comment-65-4 πείσομαι γὰρ οὐ 254

mvp-comment-65-5 μὴ οὐ 255

mvp-comment-66-1 τοῖς φίλοις δ’ ὀρθῶς φίλη 256 ἴσθι 257

mvp-comment-68-1 ἀελίου 258

mvp-comment-68-2 τὸ κάλλιστον ...φάος 259

mvp-comment-68-3 ἑπταπύλῳ 260

mvp-comment-68-4 τῶν προτέρων 261

mvp-comment-69-1 ἐφάνθης 262

mvp-comment-69-2 χρυσέας 263

mvp-comment-69-3 βλέφαρον 264

mvp-comment-69-4 Διρκαίων 265

mvp-comment-70-1 τὸν λεύκασπιν...φῶτα 266

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 267 Ἰναχόθεν 268

mvp-comment-71-1 πανσαγίᾳ 269

mvp-comment-71-2 φυγάδα πρ. 270 κινήσασα 271

mvp-comment-71-3 πρόδρομον 272

mvp-comment-71-4 ὀξυτέρῳ...χαλινῷ 273

mvp-comment-71-5 ὀξυτέρῳ 274

mvp-comment-72-1 The MSS. have ὃν...Πολυνείκης 275 ὃς ...Πολυνείκους 276

mvp-comment-72-2 Πολυνείκους … νεικέων 277

mvp-comment-72-3 ἀρθείς 278

mvp-comment-72-4 νεικ. ἐξ ἀμφιλόγων 279

mvp-comment-73-1 ὀξέα κλάζων 280

mvp-comment-73-2 αἰετὸς εἰς γᾶν ὣς ὑπερέπτα 281 ὥς 282

mvp-comment-73-3 ὑπερέπτα 283

mvp-comment-74-1 λευκῆς χιόνος πτ. 284

mvp-comment-74-2 στεγανός 285

mvp-comment-74-3 ὅπλων … κορύθεσσι 286 ξύν 287 μετά 288 ξύν 289

mvp-comment-75-1 In στὰς δ’ ὑπὲρ μελάθρων 290 πτάς 291

mvp-comment-75-2 The words φονώσαισιν ἀμφιχανὼν... λόγχαις 292

mvp-comment-75-3 φονώσαισιν 293

mvp-comment-75-4 ἑπτάπυλον στόμα 294

mvp-comment-76-1 ἔβα 295

mvp-comment-76-2 πρίν ποθ’ 296 αἱμάτων 297

mvp-comment-76-3 γἑνυσιν 298 πλησθῆναι 299 τε 300 τε 301

mvp-comment-76-4 στεφάνωμα 302

mvp-comment-76-5 πευκάενθ’ Ἥφαιστον 303

mvp-comment-77-1 τοῖος 304

mvp-comment-77-2 ἐτάθη 305

mvp-comment-77-3 πάταγος 306

mvp-comment-77-4 ἀντιπάλῳ δυσχείρωμα δράκοντος 307 ἀντιπάλῳ ... δράκοντι 308 ἀντιπάλου … δράκοντος 309 ἀντιπάλῳ … δράκοντος 310

mvp-comment-77-5 The interpretation of the passage turns primarily on two points.

mvp-comment-77-6 (1) The δράκων 311

mvp-comment-77-7 (2) The δυς 312 δυσχείρωμα 313

mvp-comment-77-8 Those who read ἀντιπάλῳ … δράκοντι 314 ὲτάθη 315

mvp-comment-77-9 Those who read ἀντιπάλου … δράκοντος 316

mvp-comment-78-1 μεγάλης 317

mvp-comment-78-2 ῥεύματι 318 ῥεύματι πολλῷ 319

mvp-comment-79-1 χρυσοῦ καναχῆς ὑπεροπλίαις 320

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 321

mvp-comment-80-1 παλτῷ πυρί 322

mvp-comment-80-2 βαλβίδων ἐπ’ ἄκρων 323

mvp-comment-80-3 ὁρμῶντα 324

mvp-comment-80-4 νίκην 325 ἀλαλάξαι 326

mvp-comment-81-1 ἀντιτύπᾳ 327

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 328

mvp-comment-82-1 πυρφόρος 329

mvp-comment-82-2 βακχεύων 330

mvp-comment-82-3 ῥιπαῖς...ἀνέμων 331

mvp-comment-83-1 εἶχε δ’ ἄλλᾳ τὰ μέν 332 εἶχε δ’ ἄλλαι τὰ μὲν ἄλλαι τὰ δ’ ἐπ’ ἄλλοις 333 τὰ μέν 334 ἄλλα δέ 335 τὰ μέν 336 ἄλλᾳ 337

mvp-comment-83-2 ἐπενώμα 338 στυφελίζων 339

mvp-comment-83-3 δεξιόσειρος 340

mvp-comment-83-4 The old v.l. δεξιόχειρος 341

mvp-comment-84-1 ἑπτὰ λοχαγοί 342

mvp-comment-84-2 ἴσοι πρὸς ἴσους 343

mvp-comment-84-3 Ζηνὶ τροπαίῳ 344

mvp-comment-84-4 πάγχαλκα τέλη 345

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 346 πατρός 347

mvp-comment-85-2 καθ’ αὑτοῖν 348

mvp-comment-85-3 δικρατεῖς λόγχας 349

mvp-comment-85-4 στήσαντε 350

mvp-comment-86-1 ἀλλὰ γάρ 351 γάρ 352 γάρ 353

mvp-comment-86-2 μεγαλώνυμος 354

mvp-comment-86-3 πολυαρμάτῳ 355

mvp-comment-86-4 ἀντιχαρεῖσα 356

mvp-comment-87-1 ἐκ...πολέμων τῶν νῦν 357 ἐκ 358 νῦν 359

mvp-comment-87-2 θέσθαι 360 θέσθε 361 παννυχίοις 362

mvp-comment-87-3 ὁ Θήβας 363 ἐλελίχθων 364

mvp-comment-87-4 Βάκχιος 365

mvp-comment-87-5 ἄρχοι 366

mvp-comment-88-1 ἀλλὰ … γάρ 367 Κρέων 368

mvp-comment-88-2 Μενοικέως 369

mvp-comment-88-3 νεοχμὸς νεαραῖσι 370

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 371 κρείων 372 ἄρχων 373 ταγός 374

mvp-comment-88-5 θεῶν … συντυχίαις 375 ἐπί 376

mvp-comment-89-1 μῆτιν ἐρέσσων 377

mvp-comment-89-2 σύγκλητον 378

mvp-comment-89-3 προὔθετο 379 λέσχην 380

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 381

mvp-comment-89-5 κοινῷ κ. πέμψας 382

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’ 383

mvp-comment-91-3 πόλεος 384 πολλῷ σάλῳ σείσαντες 385

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 386

mvp-comment-92-1 ἐκ πάντων 387 δίχα 388

mvp-comment-92-2 ἔστειλ’ ἱκέσθαι 389 τοῦτο μέν 390

mvp-comment-92-3 σέβοντας 391

mvp-comment-92-4 θρόνων . . κράτη 392

mvp-comment-93-1 ἡνίκ’ Οἰδίπους 393 κείνων 394 κείνων παῖδας 395 ἡνίκ’ . . ὤρθου πόλιν 396 ἐπεὶ διώλετο 397 τοῦτο μέν . . τοῦτ’ αὖθις 398

mvp-comment-93-2 καί 399 καί 400

mvp-comment-93-3 ἐμπέδοις φρονήμασιν 401 ἐμπέδους 402 ἐμπέδοις 403

mvp-comment-94-1 ὅτε 404

mvp-comment-94-2 πρὸς διπλῆς μ. 405 διπλῆς . . μίαν 406

mvp-comment-94-3 παίσαντες . . πληγέντες 407

mvp-comment-94-4 αὐτόχειρι … μιάσματι 408

mvp-comment-95-1 ἐγὼ . . δή 409

mvp-comment-95-2 κράτη 410

mvp-comment-95-3 γένους κατ’ ἀγχιστεῖα τῶν ὀλ. 411

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.

6. mvp-comment-6-1 τῶν.. κακῶν, partitive genitive, as supplementary predicate. See Essay on Language § 10. p. 15.

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.

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.