Sophocles Antigone 1033

Table of Contents

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

View: By Card By Line
← Previous Next →
ὦ πρέσβυ, πάντες ὥστε τοξόται σκοποῦ
τοξεύετ᾽ ἀνδρὸς τοῦδε, κοὐδὲ μαντικῆς
ἄπρακτος ὑμῖν εἰμι· τῶν δ᾽ ὑπαὶ γένους
1035
ἐξημπόλημαι κἀκπεφόρτισμαι πάλαι.
κερδαίνετ᾽, ἐμπολᾶτε τἀπὸ Σάρδεων
ἤλεκτρον, εἰ βούλεσθε, καὶ τὸν Ἰνδικὸν
χρυσόν· τάφῳ δ᾽ ἐκεῖνον οὐχὶ κρύψετε,
οὐδ᾽ ἢν θέλωσ᾽ οἱ Ζηνὸς αἰετοὶ βορὰν
1040
φέρειν νιν ἁρπάζοντες ἐς Διὸς θρόνους·
οὐδ᾽ ὣς μίασμα τοῦτο μὴ τρέσας ἐγὼ
θάπτειν παρήσω κεῖνον· εὖ γὰρ οἶδ᾽ ὅτι
θεοὺς μιαίνειν οὔτις ἀνθρώπων σθένει.
πίπτουσι δ᾽, ὦ γεραιὲ Τειρεσία, βροτῶν
1045
χοἱ πολλὰ δεινοὶ πτώματ᾽ αἴσχρ᾽, ὅταν λόγους
αἰσχροὺς καλῶς. λέγωσι τοῦ κέρδους χάριν.

Antigone. Sophocles. Oxford. 1924.

Sponsored by Perseus Project, Tufts University.

Funding provided by Tufts University.

Current edition Experimental

Greek (A. C. Pearson, 1924) (OCR draft) (Greek) (Greek (A. C. Pearson, 1924))

Provisional text from uncorrected OCR; expect errors.

Editions (11)
Greek (L. Benloew, 1858) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (L. Benloew, 1858)) — 1033 focus
ὦ πρέσβυ, πάντες, ὥστε τοξόται σκοποῦ,
τοξεύετ᾽ ἀνδρὸς τοῦδε, κοὐδὲ μαντικῆς
ἄπρακτος ὑμῖν εἰμι 1 · τῶν δ᾽ ὑπαὶ γένους
ἐξημπόλημαι κἀκπεφόρτισμαι πάλαι.
κερδαίνετ᾽, ἐμπολᾶτε τὸν πρὸς Σάρδεων 2
1030
ἤλεκτρον, εἰ βούλεσθε, καὶ τὸν Ἰνδικὸν
χρυσόν· τάφῳ δ᾽ ἐκεῖνον οὐχὶ κρύψετε,
οὐδ᾽ εἰ θέλουσ᾽ οἱ Ζηνὸς αἰετοὶ βορὰν
φέρειν νιν ἁρπάζοντες ἐς Διὸς θρόνους,
οὐδ᾽ ὣς, μίασμα τοῦτο μὴ τρέσας, ἐγὼ
1035
θάπτειν παρήσω κεῖνον. εὖ γὰρ οἶδ᾽ ὅτι
θεοὺς μιαίνειν οὔτις ἀνθρώπων σθένει.
πίπτουσι δ᾽, ὦ γεραιὲ Τειρεσία, βροτῶν
χοἱ πολλὰ δεινοὶ πτώματ᾽ αἴσχρ᾽, ὅταν λόγους
αἰσχροὺς καλῶς λέγωσι τοῦ κέρδους χάριν.
1040
Greek (A. Boeckh, 1884) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (A. Boeckh, 1884)) — 1033 focus
Greek (F. H. Bothe, 1806) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (F. H. Bothe, 1806)) — 1033 focus
ὦ πρέσβυ, πάντες, ὥστε τοξόται σκοποῦ,
τοξεύετ᾽ ἀνδρὸς τοῦδε, κοὐδὲ μαντικῆς
1015
ἄπρακτος ὑμῖν εἰμὶ, τῶν γένους ὕπο
ἐξημπόλημαι κἀκπεφόρτισμαι πάλαι.
κερδαίνετ᾽, ἐμπολᾶτε τὸν πρὸς Σάρδεων
ἤλεκτρον, εἰ βούλεσθε, καὶ τὸν Ἰνδικὸν
χρυσόν· τάφῳ δ᾽ ἐκεῖνον οὐχὶ κρύψετε,
1020
οὐδ᾽, εἰ θέλουσ᾽ οἱ Ζηνὸς αἰετοὶ βορὰν
φέρειν νιν ἁρπάζοντες ἐς Διὸς θρόνους·
οὐδ᾽ ὣς, μίασμα τοῦτο μὴ τρέσας, ἐγὼ
θάπτειν παρήσω κεῖνον· εὖ γὰρ οἷδ᾽, ὅτι
θεοὺς μιαίνειν οὔ τις ἀνθρώπων σθένει.
1025
πίπτουσι δ᾽, ὦ γεραιὲ Τειρεσία, βροτῶν
χ’ οἱ πολλὰ δεινοὶ πτώματ᾽ αἰσχρ᾽, ὅταν λόγους
αἰσχροὺς καλῶς λέγωσι τοῦ κέρδους χάριν.
Greek (Lewis Campbell, 1879) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (Lewis Campbell, 1879)) — 1033 focus
ὦ πρέσβυ, πάντες ὥστε τοξόται σκοποῦ
τοξεύετ᾿ ἀνδρὸς τοῦδε, κοὐδὲ μαντικῆς
61r
ἄπρακτος ὑμῖν εἰμι, τῶν *ὑπαὶ γένους
1035
ἐξεμπόλημαι κἀκπεφόρτισμαι πάλαι.
κερδαίνετ', ἐμπολᾶτε *τἀπὸ Σάρδεων
ἤλεκτρον, εἰ βούλεσθε, καὶ τὸν Ἰνδικὸν
χρυσόν· τάφῳ δ᾽ ἐκεῖνον οὐχὶ κρύψετε,
οὐδ᾽ εἰ θέλουσ᾽ οἱ Ζηνὸς αἰετοὶ βορὰν
1040
φέρειν νιν ἁρπάζοντες ἐς Διὸς θρόνους,
οὐδ᾽ ὣς μίασμα τοῦτο μὴ τρέσας ἐγὼ
θάπτειν παρήσω κεῖνον· εὖ γὰρ οἶδ᾽ ὅτι
θεοὺς μιαίνειν οὔτις ἀνθρώπων σθένει.
πίπτουσι δ᾽, ὦ γεραιὲ Τειρεσία, βροτῶν
1045
χοἰ πολλὰ δεινοὶ πτώματ' αἴσχρ᾽, ὅταν λόγους
αἰσχροὺς καλῶς λέγωσι τοῦ κέρδους χάριν.
Greek (A. Colonna, 1978) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (A. Colonna, 1978)) — 1033 focus
ὦ πρέσβυ, πάντες ὥστε τοξόται σκοποῦ
τοξεύετ᾽ ἀνδρὸς τοῦδε, κοὐδὲ μαντικῆς
ἄπρακτος ὑμῖν εἰμι, τῶν δ᾽ ὑπαὶ γένους
1035
ἐξημπόλημαι κἀμπεφόρτισμαι πάλαι.
κερδαίνετ᾽, ἐμπολᾶτε τὸν πρὸς Σάρδεων
ἤλεκτρον, εἰ βούλεσθε, καὶ τὸν Ἰνδικὸν
χρυσόν· τάφῳ δ᾽ ἐκεῖνον οὐχὶ κρύψετε·
οὐδ᾽ εἰ θέλουσ᾽ οἱ Ζηνὸς αἰετοὶ βορὰν
1040
φέρειν νιν ἁρπάζοντες ἐς Διὸς θρόνους,
οὐδ᾽ ὣς μίασμα τοῦτο μὴ τρέσας ἐγὼ
θάπτειν παρήσω κεῖνον· εὖ γὰρ οἶδ᾽ ὅτι
θεοὺς μιαίνειν οὔτις ἀνθρώπων σθένει.
πίπτουσι δ᾽, ὦ γεραιὲ Τειρεσία, βροτῶν
1045
χοἰ πολλὰ δεινοὶ πτώματ᾽ αἴσχρ᾽, ὅταν λόγους
αἰσχροὺς καλῶς λέγωσι τοῦ κέρδους χάριν.
Greek (A. Dain, 1955) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (A. Dain, 1955)) — 1033 focus
ὦ πρέσβυ, πάντες ὥστε τοξόται σκοποῦ
τοξεύετ’ ἀνδρὸς τοῦδε, κοὐδὲ μαντικῆς
ἄπρακτος ὑμῖν εἰμι, τῶν δ’ ὑπαὶ γένους
1035
ἐξημπόλημαι κἀμπεφόρτισμαι πάλαι.
κερδαίνετ’, ἐμπολᾶτε τὸν πρὸς Σάρδεων
ἤλεκτρον, εἰ βούλεσθε, καὶ τὸν Ἰνδικὸν
χρυσόν· τάφῳ δ’ ἐκεῖνον οὐχὶ κρύψετε·
οὐδ’ εἰ θέλουσ’ οἱ Ζηνὸς αἰετοὶ βορὰν
1040
φέρειν νιν ἁρπάζοντες ἐς Διὸς θρόνους,
οὐδ’ ὣς μίασμα τοῦτο μὴ τρέσας, ἐγὼ
θάπτειν παρήσω κεῖνον· εὖ γὰρ οἶδ’ ὅτι
θεοὺς μιαίνειν οὔτις ἀνθρώπων σθένει.
πίπτουσι δ’, ὦ γεραιὲ Τειρεσία, βροτῶν
1045
χοἰ πολλὰ δεινοὶ πτώματ’ αἴσχρ’, ὅταν λόγους
αἰσχροὺς καλῶς λέγωσι τοῦ κέρδους χάριν.
Greek (R. D. Dawe, 1979) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (R. D. Dawe, 1979)) — 1033 focus
ὦ πρέσβυ, πάντες ὥστε τοξόται σκοποῦ
τοξεύετ᾽ ἀνδρὸς τοῦδε, κοὐδὲ μαντικῆς
ἄπρακτος ὑμῖν εἶμι, τῶν ὑπαὶ γένους
1035
ἐξημπόλημαι κἀμπεφόρτισμαι πάλαι.
κερδαίνετ᾽, ἐμπολᾶτε τἀπὸ Σάρδεων
ἤλεκτρον, εἰ βούλεσθε, καὶ τὸν Ἰνδικὸν
χρυσόν· τάφωι δ᾽ ἐκεῖνον οὐχὶ κρύψετε,
οὐδ᾽ εἰ θέλουσ᾽ οἱ Ζηνὸς αἰετοὶ βορὰν
1040
φέρειν νιν ἁρπάζοντες ἐς Διὸς θρόνους,
οὐδ᾽ ὥς μίασμα τοῦτο μὴ τρέσας ἐγὼ
θάπτειν παρήσω κεῖνον· εὖ γὰρ οἶδ᾽ ὅτι
θεοὺς μιαίνειν οὔτις ἀνθρώπων σθένει.
πίπτουσι δ᾽, ὦ γεραιὲ Τειρεσία, βροτῶν
1045
χοἰ πολλὰ δεινοὶ πτώματ᾽ αἴσχρ᾽, ὅταν λόγους
αἰσχροὺς καλῶς λέγωσι τοῦ κέρδους χάριν.
Greek (G. Hermann, 1830) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (G. Hermann, 1830)) — 1033 focus
ὦ πρέσβυ, πάντες, ὥστε τοξόται σκοποῦ,
1020
τοξεύετ᾽ ἀνδρὸς τοῦδε, κοὐδὲ μαντικῆς
ἄπρακτος ὗμιν εἰμί, τῶν ὑπαὶ γένους
ἐξημπόλημαι κἀκπεφόρτισμαι πάλαι.
κερδαίνετ᾽, ἐμπολᾶτε τὸν πρὸς Σάρδεων
ἤλεκτρον, εἰ βούλεσθε, καὶ τὸν Ἰνδικὸν
1025
χρυσόν· τάφῳ δ᾽ ἐκεῖνον οὐχὶ κρύψετε,
οὐδ᾽ εἰ θέλουσ᾽ οἱ Ζηνὸς αἰετοὶ βορὰν
φέρειν, νιν ἁρπάζοντες ἐς Διὸς θρόνους,
οὐδ᾽ ὣς μίασμα τοῦτο μὴ τρέσας ἐγὼ
θάπτειν παρήσω κεῖνον. εὖ γὰρ οἶδ᾽ ὅτι
1030
θεοὺς μιαίνειν οὔτις ἀνθρώπων σθένει.
πίπτουσι δ᾽, ὦ γεραιὲ Τειρεσίαν βροτῶν
χοἰ πολλὰ δεινοὶ πτώματ᾽ αἴσχρ᾽, ὅταν λόγους
αἰσχροὺς καλῶς λέγωσι τοῦ κέρδους χάριν.
Greek (R. C. Jebb, 1906) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (R. C. Jebb, 1906)) — 1033 focus
ὦ πρέσβυ, πάντες ὥστε τοξόται σκοποῦ
τοξεύετ᾽ ἀνδρὸς τοῦδε, κοὐδὲ μαντικῆς
ἄπρακτος ὑμῖν εἰμι, τῶν δ᾽ ὑπαὶ γένους
1035
ἐξημπόλημαι κἀμπεφόρτισμαι πάλαι.
κερδαίνετ', ἐμπολᾶτε τἀπὸ Σάρδεων
ἤλεκτρον, εἰ βούλεσθε, καὶ τὸν Ἰνδικὸν
χρυσόν· τάφῳ δ᾽ ἐκεῖνον οὐχὶ κρύψετε,
οὐδ᾽ εἰ θέλουσ᾽ οἱ Ζηνὸς αἰετοὶ βορὰν
1040
φέρειν νιν ἁρπάζοντες ἐς Διὸς θρόνους,
οὐδ᾽ ὣς μίασμα τοῦτο μὴ τρέσας ἐγὼ
θάπτειν παρήσω κεῖνον. εὖ γὰρ οἶδ᾽ ὅτι
θεοὺς μιαίνειν οὔτις ἀνθρώπων σθένει.
πίπτουσι δ᾽, ὦ γεραιὲ Τειρεσία, βροτῶν
1045
χοἱ πολλὰ δεινοὶ πτώματ᾽ αἴσχρ᾽, ὅταν λόγους
αἰσχροὺς καλῶς λέγωσι τοῦ κέρδους χάριν.
Antigone (OCR draft) Experimental (Antigone) — 1033 focus
Greek (K. Reinhardt, 1949) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (K. Reinhardt, 1949)) — 1033 focus
ὦ πρέσβυ, πάντες ὥστε τοξόται σκοποῦ
τοξεύετ᾽ ἀνδρὸς τοῦδε, κοὐδὲ μαντικῆς
ἄπρακτος ὑμῖν εἰμι· τῶν δ᾽ ὑπαὶ γένους
1035
ἐξημπόλημαι κἀκπεφόρτισμαι πάλαι.
κερδαίνετ᾽, ἐμπολᾶτε τἀπὸ Σάρδεων
ἤλεκτρον, εἰ βούλεσθε, καὶ τὸν Ἰνδικὸν
χρυσόν· τάφωι δ᾽ ἐκεῖνον οὐχὶ κρύψετε.
οὐδ᾽ εἰ θέλουσ᾽ οἱ Ζηνὸς αἰετοὶ βορὰν
1040
φέρειν νιν ἁρπάζοντες ἐς Διὸς θρόνους,
οὐδ᾽ ὣς μίασμα τοῦτο μὴ τρέσας ἐγὼ
θάπτειν παρήσω κεῖνον· εὖ γὰρ οἶδ᾽ ὅτι
θεοὺς μιαίνειν οὔτις ἀνθρώπων σθένει.
πίπτουσι δ᾽, ὦ γεραιὲ Τειρεσία, βροτῶν
1045
χοἰ πολλὰ δεινοὶ πτώματ᾽ αἴσχρ᾽, ὅταν λόγους
αἰσχροὺς καλῶς λέγωσι τοῦ κέρδους χάριν.
Translations (11)
German (A. Boeckh, 1884) (OCR draft) Experimental (German (A. Boeckh, 1884)) — 1033 focus
Spanish (J. A. Bolufer, 1921) (OCR draft) Experimental (Spanish (J. A. Bolufer, 1921)) — 1033 focus
¡Oh anciano! Todos, como arqueros al blanco, disparáis contra mí; y ni siquiera he quedado libre de tu arte adivinatorio, porque he sido vendido y traicionado por mis parientes hace ya tiempo; lucraos, comprad el electro de Sardes si queréis, y el oro de la India; pero a ése no enterraréis en sepultura: ni aunque las águilas de Júpiter, arrebatándolo, se lo quisieran llevar para pasto al trono del mismo dios, ni aun así — sin temor ninguno de cometer sacrilegio-permitiré yo que sepulten a ése; pues bien sé que amancillar a los dioses no puede ningún mortal. Y los hombres más hábiles, ¡oh viejo Tiresias!, suelen caer en vergonzosas caídas cuando exponen bellamente reprobables discursos, sólo por afán de lucro.
Latin (F. H. Bothe, 1806) (OCR draft) Experimental (Latin (F. H. Bothe, 1806)) — 1033 focus
O senex, omnes, tanquam sagittarii in scopum, tela in me mittitis ; nec vestris quidem vatum artibus intentatus sum, cuius generis ab hominibus venditus sum et traditus iampridem.
comparate vobis Sardicum electrum, si vultis, et aurum Indicum: at illum sepulcro non condetis, nec si Iovis aquilae eum pro esca auferre velint sub Saturnii thronum: ne sic quidem, haud ullo huius piaculi terrore motus y sepeliri eum permisero: probe enim novi, mortalem neminem deos posse polluere. Cadunt autem, o senex Tiresia, homines vel maxime industrii foedo lapsu, quum res turpes pulcre loquuntur lucri gratia.
English (Lewis Campbell, 1906) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Lewis Campbell, 1906)) — 1033 focus
I am your mark, and ye with one consent
All shoot your shafts at me. Nought left untried,
Not even the craft of prophets, by whose crew
1035
I am bought and merchandised long since. Go on!
Traffic, get gain, electrum from the mine
Of Lydia, and the gold of Ind! Yet know,
Grey-beard! ye ne’er shall hide him in a tomb.
No, not if heaven’s own eagle chose to snatch
1040
And bear him to the throne supreme for food,
Even that pollution should not daunt my heart
To yield permission for his funeral.
For well know I defilement ne’er can rise
From man to God. But, old Tirésias, hear!
1045
Even wisest spirits have a shameful fall
That fairly speak base words for love of gain.
German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review) (OCR draft) Experimental (German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review)) — 1033 focus
Greis, ihr alle zielet nach dem Einen Mann,
Wie nach dem Ziel der Schüze, ja versucht an mir
Sogar die Seherkunde; doch von dem Geschlecht
Bin ich verhandelt und vertauscht seit lange schon.
1010
Treibt Wucher, handelnd schafft herbei das sardische
Elektron, wenn's euch lüstet, und den indischen
Goldsand: im Grabe bergt ihr jenen nimmermehr;
Ja, wollten auch Zeus' Adler ihn zum Mahle sich
Wegraffen, und ihn tragen an des Gottes Thron:
1015
Ich werde dann auch, unbesorgt um diesen Gräul,
Nicht dulden, daß man ihn begräbt; die Götter ja,
Das weiß ich, kann doch nimmermehr ein Mensch entweih'n.
Auch vielbegabte Männer, Greis Teiresias,
Sie stürzen tief und schimpflich, wenn sie schimpflichen
1020
Anschlägen edle Worte leih'n aus Eigennuz.
Weh!
English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759)) — 1033 focus
Spe^ik then ! What is it ] How I dread tlr
words !
Spanish (A. G. Garbin, 1889) (OCR draft) Experimental (Spanish (A. G. Garbin, 1889)) — 1033 focus
¡Viejo! Veo que venis todos como arqueros á lanzar vuestros dardos contra mi. Los adivinos turban ahora mi reposo; antes los de mi familia me han vendido como mísera mercan. cia. Seguid todos en vuestro tráfico, ganaros todos el electron de Sardes y todo el oro de la India; pero á ese no lograrcis, no, que se le dé sepultura; aunque las águilas de Jove quisicran llevarle en pedazos como ofrenda ante el trono del rey de los dioses, ni aun así, permitiría su inhumación. Y no temicra cometer con cllo profanación: porque yo sé bien que los dioses están al abrigo de las profanaciones de los mortales. S ¡Oh, anciano! Los hombres mas hiúbiles se exponen á dar vergonzosas caidas, cuando el afán de la ganancia los mueve á pronunciar discursos bochornosos.
German (F. Hölderlin, 1804) (OCR draft) Experimental (German (F. Hölderlin, 1804)) — 1033 focus
English (Sir Richard Jebb1, 1904) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Sir Richard Jebb1, 1904)) — 1033 focus
Old man, ye all shoot your shafts at me, as archers at the butts;—ye must needs practise on me with seer-craft also;—aye, the seer-tribe hath long trafficked in me, and made me their merchandise. Gain your gains, drive your trade, if ye list, in the silver-gold of Sardis and the gold of India; but ye shall not hide 1040 that man in the grave,—no, though the eagles of Zeus should bear the carrion morsels to their Master’s throne -—no, not for dread of that defilement will I suffer his burial :—for well I know that no mortal can defile the gods.—But, aged Teiresias, the wisest fall with a shameful fall, when they clothe shameful thoughts in fair words, for lucre’s sake.
English (Robert Potter, 1788) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Robert Potter, 1788)) — 1033 focus
Of all the gods whom she reveres alone,
Pouring her vows she haply will obtain
English (Sir Richard Jebb2, 1904) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Sir Richard Jebb2, 1904)) — 988-1110 focus

Commentary

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

mvp-comment-617-1 ὥστε 1 σκοποῦ 2

mvp-comment-618-1 κοὐδὲ μαντικῆς 3 ἄπρακτος 4 μαντικῆς 5 α 6 μαντικῇ 7 ἄπρατος 8

mvp-comment-618-2 τῶν δ’ ὑπαὶ γένους 9 τῶν 10

mvp-comment-618-3 refer to ὑμῖν 11 μαντικῆς 12 μαντικοῖς 13

mvp-comment-618-4 ὑπαί 14

mvp-comment-618-5 γένους 15

mvp-comment-619-1 ἐξημπόλημαι 16 ἐμπεφόρτισμαι 17 ἐκπεφόρτισμαι 18

mvp-comment-620-1 τἀπὸ Σάρδεων ἤλεκτρον 19

mvp-comment-620-2 τἀπὸ 20

mvp-comment-620-3 Ἰνδικὸν χρυσόν 21

mvp-comment-621-1 οἱ Ζηνὸς αἰετοί 22

mvp-comment-622-1 οὐδ’ ὥς 23

mvp-comment-623-1 θεοὺς μιαίνειν 24

mvp-comment-623-2 This view seems to do some injustice to the poet's dramatic psychology. I read the words quite differently. The most orthodox Greek piety held that ‘no mortal could pollute the gods.’ See, for example, H. F. 1232. Heracles, having recovered sanity after slaying his children, has covered his face, to hide it from the holy light of the sun. Theseus —who is a type of normal

εὐσέβεια
— makes him uncover, saying,—
τί δ’; οὐ μιαίνεις θνητὸς ὢν τὰ τῶν θεῶν
. The sungod cannot be polluted by a mortal. The idea of religious
μίασμα
was that a mortal had contracted some impurity which disqualified him for communion with the gods. The tainting of an altar cut off such communion by bringing uncleanness to the very place where men sought to be cleansed. Creon excitedly imagines a seemingly worse profanation, and then excuses his apparent impiety by a general maxim which all would admit:—‘no man can pollute the gods.’

mvp-comment-623-3 ‘The sky-throne of Zeus is still more sacred than his altar on earth: if defilement cannot reach him there, much less here.’ The sophism is of the kind with which an honest but stubborn and wrongheaded man might seek to quiet his conscience. Creon reveres Zeus (304): he feels for the majesty of the gods, and refuses to believe that they can honour the wicked (284 ff.). But his religious sense is temporarily confused by his anger.

mvp-comment-624-1 πολλά 25

mvp-comment-625-1 καλῶς 26

mvp-comment-626-1 ἆρ’ οἶδεν 27

mvp-comment-627-1 τί χρῆμα 28

mvp-comment-627-2 πάγκοινον 29

mvp-comment-628-1 κτημάτων 30

mvp-comment-628-2 ὅσῳπερ 31 μὴ φρονεῖν 32

mvp-comment-629-1 νόσου 33 πλήρης 34

mvp-comment-630-1 In

ἀντειπεῖν κακῶς, ἀντί
qualifies the whole phrase: i.e., it means, ‘to revile in return,’
ἀντιλοιδορεῖν
, as
ἀντιδρᾶν κακῶς
( O. C. 1191 )=
ἀνταδικεῖν
.

mvp-comment-631-1 καὶ μήν 35 λέγεις 36

mvp-comment-632-1 γένος 37

mvp-comment-633-1 τὸ δ’ ἐκ τυράννων 38 ἐκ 39

mvp-comment-633-2 αἰσχροκέρδειαν 40

mvp-comment-634-1 ἆρ’ οἶσθα 41 ἃ ἂν λέγῃς 42 ταγούς 43

mvp-comment-635-1 ἐξ ἐμοῦ 44

mvp-comment-635-2 ἔχεις σώσας 45

mvp-comment-636-1 τἀκίνητα διὰ φρενῶν 46

mvp-comment-637-1 κίνει 47

mvp-comment-637-2 μόνον δέ 48

mvp-comment-637-3 ἐπὶ κέρδεσιν 49

mvp-comment-638-1 οὕτω γὰρ ἤδη 50 τὸ σὸν μέρος 51 καί 52

mvp-comment-639-1 ἴσθι ὡς μὴ ἐμπ. 53 ὡς 54

mvp-comment-639-2 φρένα 55

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

1034. mvp-comment-597-1 ἀνδρὸς τοῦδε The genitive as after ἐφίεσθαι and the like words.

1034-1035. mvp-comment-598-1 κοὐδὲ.. εἰμί And you practise on me with divination too. By a not infrequent inexactness in the use of the Greek passive voice, from πράττειν κατά τινοs, To intrigue against a person, would come πράττεσθαι, 'Το be intrigued against,' and hence ἄπρακτος, Unattempted, Unpractised on, μαντικῆς is gen. of respect after the privative adjective. τὸν πρὸσ σάρδεον Ε. τὸν πρὸ

1035. mvp-comment-599-1 τῶν *ὑπαὶ γένους By whose fraternity, sc. τῶν μαντέων. This is Brunck's emendation, which gives better sense than any other that has been proposed. Creon's heated imagination suggests to him that the whole tribe of prophets and diviners (cp. 1055) have greedily marked him for their prey.

1036. mvp-comment-600-1 I am bartered away long since and turned to gain. Literally, Sold and shipped off. Although ἐμπεφόρτισμαι has the authority of the 1st hand of L, ἐκπεφόρτισμαι is more forcible.

1037. mvp-comment-601-1 *τἀπό Professor Geddes, in his Problem of the Homeric Poems,' p. 168, note 15, prefers ἤλεκτρος as the form of nominative, on analogy of other metals, such as χρυσός, etc., which are masculine. But the general opinion is in favour of ἥλεκτρον neuter, and although τὸν πρὸς Σαρδεῶν is not unmetrical, τᾶπό Σαρδέῶν is preferable here in point of rhythm. Granting that ἤλεκτρος is masculine in late Greek, it is unlikely that Herodotus, 3, 115, would write τὸ ἤλεκτρον, and Sophocles here τὸν .. ἤλεκτρον.

1040. mvp-comment-602-1 βοράν He echoes the word of Teiresias supr. 1017.

1042-1043. mvp-comment-603-1 οὐ μὴ .. παρήσω The future indicative after οὐ μή, as in O. C. 177, οὗ τοι μήποτέ σ᾽ ἐκ τῶνδ᾽ ἑδράνων, ὦ γέρον, ἄκοντά τις ἄξει : Εl. 1052, οὗ σοι μὴ μεθέψομαί ποτε. Cp. Phil. 612, οὐ μή ποτε | πέρσοιεν. In all these places there may be a slight confusion of two constructions. See Essay on Language § 36. p. 62, and for the slight redundancy of expression, which marks Creon's eagerness, ib. § 40. p. 75.

1044. mvp-comment-604-1 'There is no power in man to touch the gods with pollution.' Creon's scepticism (cp. Aesch. Ag. 369-372: Plat. Legg. B. 10) anticipates the Epicurean notion of the Divine Nature, which Nec bene promeritis capitur, neque tangitur ira. Cp. with this and with O. T. 964, foll., Hector's defiance of augury in Il. 12. 237, foll.

1048. mvp-comment-605-1 The sentence, interrupted by Creon's question, is continued in 1050.

1050. mvp-comment-606-1 Wherefore? What means this universal doubt?' πάγκοινον refers to ἀνθρώπων τις.

1052. mvp-comment-607-1 πλήρης Infected. Cp. supr. 1017.

1054. mvp-comment-608-1 λέγεις Sc. κακῶς τὸν μάντιν. Essay on Language § 39. p. 73, 6.

1056. mvp-comment-609-1 τὸ δ᾽ ἐκ τυράννων The mean- ing of the preposition is not to be pressed. It is merely an extension of the familiar metaphor of γένος, Kind for Class. Cobet conj. τὸ δέ γε τυράννων. But not to advert to the broken tribrach in the first place, so unlike the earlier manner of Sophocles, the expression is less forcible. It is like the difference between saying the class of tyrants and the breed of tyrants in English. Cp. Eur. Hec. 254-255, ἀχάριστον ὑμῶν σπέρμ᾽, ὅσοι δημηγόρους | ζηλοῦτε τιμάς. On the γένεσις of the tyrant, see Ο. Τ. 873, ὕβρις φυτεύει τύραννον.

1057. mvp-comment-610-1 The accusative ταγούς is in a double construction with λέγεις and λέγων. The construction of the participle is also twofold: i. e. οἶσθα ταγοὺς ὄντας οὓς λέγεις ἃ ἂν λέγῃς.

1058. mvp-comment-611-1 For you possess this city through saving it by my counsel. ἐξ ἐμοῦ depends partly on ἔχεις and partly on σώσας. The line has been supposed to refer to the self-immolation of the son of Creon by the advice of Teiresias. Eur. Phoen. 918, foll. Cp. supr. 933-935, infr. 1303. But it is not clear that Sophocles has any distinct incident in view. These things are ἔξω τοῦ μυθεύματος, Ar. Poet. 1460 a.

1060. mvp-comment-612-1 τἀκίνητα .. φράσαι Τo utter what ought not to be mooted even in thought.' 1062. (1) These words are generally interpreted as interrogative. Do I really seem in what I have already said to do so in regard to you? i. e. You at least are not likely to reward me for my prophecy. And this is on the whole the most pointed way of taking the words. Wecklein understands them to mean, (2) 'Methinks, so far as you are concerned, I do speak so; i. e. My speech will not bring you gain. In the former case (1) τὸ σὸν μέρος ίς τ. σ. μ. τῆς δοκήσεως: in the latter (2) it is τ. σ. μ. τῶν ἀποβησομένων ἐκ τοῦ λόγου.

1063. mvp-comment-613-1 'I tell thee thou shalt not make traffic of my purposes;' i. e. They shall not be changed so as to bring gain to you, whether it be from me or from others that you look for gain.