Sophocles, Antigone, 127

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Ζεὺς γὰρ μεγάλης γλώσσης κόμπους

ὑπερεχθαίρει, καί σφας ἐσιδὼν

πολλῷ ῥεύματι προσνισομένους,
130

χρυσοῦ καναχῆς ὑπερόπτας,
130

παλτῷ ῥιπτεῖ πυρὶ βαλβίδων

ἐπ᾽ ἄκρων ἤδη

νίκην ὁρμῶντ᾽ ἀλαλάξαι·

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)) — 127 focus

Ζεὺς γὰρ μεγάλης γλώσσης κόμπους

ὑπερεχθαίρει· καί σφας ἐσιδὼν

πολλῷ ῥεύματι προσνισσομένους

χρυσοῦ, καναχῆς, ὑπεροπτείας ¹,
130

παλτῷ ῥιπτεῖ πυρὶ, βαλβίδων ²

ἐπ᾽ ἄκρων ἤδη

νίκην ὁρμῶντ᾽ ἀλαλάξαι³.

b

Greek (A. Boeckh, 1884) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (A. Boeckh, 1884)) — 127 focus

Ζεὺς γὰρ μεγάλης γλώσσης κόμπους
125

ὑπερεχθαίρει· καί σφας ἐσιδὼν

πολλῷ ῥεύματι προσνισσομένους

χρυσοῦ καναχῆς ὑπεροπτείας,

παλτῷ ῥιπτεῖ πυρὶ βαλβίδων

ἐπ’ ἄκρων ἤδη
130

νίκην ὁρμῶντ᾽ ἀλαλάξαι.

2

Greek (F. H. Bothe, 1806) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (F. H. Bothe, 1806)) — 127 focus

Ζεὺς γὰρ μεγάλης γλώσσης κόμπους

ὑπερεχθαίρει, καί σφας ἐσιδὼν

πολλῷ ῥεύματι

χρυσοῦ καναχῆς ὑπεροπλίαις,
130

παλτῷ ῥίπτει πυρὶ βαλβίδων

ἐπ᾽ ἄκρων ἤδη

νίκην ὁρμῶντ᾽ ἀλαλάξαι·

2

Greek (Lewis Campbell, 1879) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (Lewis Campbell, 1879)) — 127 focus

Ζεὺς γὰρ μεγάλης γλώσσης κόμπους

ὑπερεχθαίρει, καί σφας ἐσιδὼν

πολλῷ ῥεύματι προσνισσομένους,

51v

χρυσοῦ καναχῆς ὑπερόπτης,
130

παλτῷ ῥιπτεῖ πυρὶ βαλβίδων

ἐπ᾿ ἄκρων ἤδη

νίκην ὁρμῶντ᾽ ἀλαλάξαι·

β

Greek (A. Colonna, 1978) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (A. Colonna, 1978)) — 127 focus

Ζεὺς γὰρ μεγάλης γλώσσης κόμπους

ὑπερεχθαίρει, καί σφας ἐσιδὼν

πολλῷ ῥεύματι προσνισομένους,

χρυσοῦ καναχῆς ὑπεροπλίαις.
130

παλτῷ ῥιπτεῖ πυρὶ βαλβίδων

ἐπ᾿ ἄκρων ἤδη

νίκην ὁρμῶντ᾽ ἀλαλάξαι.

2

Greek (A. Dain, 1955) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (A. Dain, 1955)) — 127 focus

Ζεὺς γὰρ μεγάλης γλώσσης κόμπους

ὑπερεχθαίρει, καί σφας ἐσιδὼν

πολλῷ ῥεύματι προσνισσομένους,

χρυσοῦ καναχῆς ὑπεροπλίαις,
130

παλτῷ ῥιπτεῖ πυρὶ βαλβίδων

ἐπ’ ἄκρων ἤδη

νίκην ὁρμῶντ’ ἀλαλάξαι.

2

Greek (R. D. Dawe, 1979) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (R. D. Dawe, 1979)) — 127 focus

Ζεὺς γὰρ μεγάλης γλώσσης κόμπους

ὑπερεχθαίρει, καί σφας ἐσιδὼν

πολλῶι ῥεύματι προσνισσομένους

χρυσοῦ καναχῆς ὑπεροπλίαις,
130

παλτῶι ῥιπτεῖ πυρὶ βαλβίδων

ἐπ᾽ ἄκρων ἤδη

νίκην ὁρμῶντ᾽ ἀλαλάξαι.

2

Greek (G. Hermann, 1830) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (G. Hermann, 1830)) — 127 focus

Ζεὺς γὰρ μεγάλης γλώσσης κόμπους

ὑπερεχθαίρει· καί σφας ἐσιδὼν

πολλῷ ῥεύματι προσνισσομένους

χρυσοῦ καναχῆς ὑπερόπτας,
130

παλτῷ ῥίπτει πυρί, βαλβίδων

ἐπ᾿ ἄκρων ἤδη

νίκην ὁρμῶντ᾽ ἀλαλάξαι,

2

Greek (R. C. Jebb, 1906) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (R. C. Jebb, 1906)) — 127 focus

Ζεὺς γὰρ μεγάλης γλώσσης κόμπους

ὑπερεχθαίρει, καί σφας ἐσιδὼν

πολλῷ ῥεύματι προσνισσομένους,

χρυσοῦ καναχῆς ὑπεροπλίαις,
130

παλτῷ ῥιπτεῖ πυρὶ βαλβίδων

ἐπ’ ἄκρων ἤδη

νίκην ὁρμῶντ᾽ ἀλαλάξαι.

2

Antigone (OCR draft) Experimental (Antigone) — 127 focus

Χορός

Ζεὺς γὰρ μεγάλης γλώσσης κόμπους

ὑπερεχθαίρει, καὶ σφας ἐσιδὼν

πολλῷ ῥεύματι προσνισσομένους

χρυσοῦ καναχῆς ὑπεροπλίαις,
130

παλτῷ ῥιπτεῖ πυρὶ βαλβίδων

ἐπʼ ἄκρων ἤδη

νίκην ὁρμῶντʼ ἀλαλάξαι.

Greek (K. Reinhardt, 1949) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (K. Reinhardt, 1949)) — 127 focus

Ζεὺς γὰρ μεγάλης γλώσσης κόμπους

ὑπερεχθαίρει, καί σφας ἐσιδὼν

πολλῶι ῥεύματι προσνισσομένους

χρυσοῦ καναχῆς ὑπεροπλίαις,
130

παλτῶι ῥιπτεῖ πυρὶ βαλβίδων

ἐπ᾽ ἄκρων ἤδη

νίκην ὁρμῶντ᾽ ἀλαλάξαι.

Translations (11)

German (A. Boeckh, 1884) (OCR draft) Experimental (German (A. Boeckh, 1884)) — 127 focus

Denn Zeus hafst schwer grofssprechender Zung'
125

hochmüthig Geprahl'; und als er ersah,

wie in mächtigem Strom sie zogen heran,

in des Goldes Geklirr, hoffärtiges Sinns,

wirft den er herab mit geschleudertem Strahl,

der aufstieg schon
130

zu den Zinnen in jubelndem Siegsruf,

Spanish (J. A. Bolufer, 1921) (OCR draft) Experimental (Spanish (J. A. Bolufer, 1921)) — 127 focus

Júpiter, pues, odia las bravatas de orgullosa lengua; y al ver que se aba- lanzaban como impetuosa corriente, arrogantes con el estruendo de sus doradas armas, hirió con su rayo de fuego al que, preparado ya para el asalto de nuestras almenas, se disponía a cantar victoria.

Latin (F. H. Bothe, 1806) (OCR draft) Experimental (Latin (F. H. Bothe, 1806)) — 127 focus

Iupiter enim superbae linguae iactantiam impense odit, etinnumeros €os intuitus aureo strepitu superbientes vibrato deiicit fulmine, parantes iam ad summam metam victoriae laetum clamorem tollere :

English (Lewis Campbell, 1906) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Lewis Campbell, 1906)) — 127 focus

High Zeus beheld their stream that proudly rolled

Idly caparisoned with clanking gold:

Zeus hates the boastful tongue:

He with hurled fire down flung

One who in haste had mounted high,
130

And that same hour from topmost tower

Upraised the exulting cry.

Swung rudely to the hard repellent earth

Amidst his furious mirth

German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review) (OCR draft) Experimental (German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review)) — 127 focus

Denn schwer haßt Zeus der vermessenen Zung'

Hochfahrenden Stolz; und als er ihr Heer,

Den heranwogenden Strom, schimmernd in Gold,

Im Geräusch unbändigen Trozes ersah,
130

Da traf er den Mann mit geschwungenem Strahl,¹

Der schon an die Höh'n,

Siegsruf anstimmend, empordrang.

Zweite Strophe.

English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759)) — 100 focus

O sir ! to younger hands commit the task.

Creon

Spanish (A. G. Garbin, 1889) (OCR draft) Experimental (Spanish (A. G. Garbin, 1889)) — 127 focus

Júpiter que abomina el orgullo y la jactancia, viendo á los argivos precipitarse á modo de impetuoso torrente, ensoberbecidos con las doradas armas, que movían con estruendo, fulminó su rayo y aniquiló al guerrero que ya se preparaba á dar el grito de ¡victoria! desde lo alto de nuestras murallas.

CORO

German (F. Hölderlin, 1804) (OCR draft) Experimental (German (F. Hölderlin, 1804)) — 127 focus

Denn sehr hafst Zevs das Prangen

Der grofsen Zung’ und wo er,

Wenn sie langschreitend kommen,

Ins goldene ihnen sieht, ins eitle Hinaussehn,

Mit geschwungenem Feuer stürzet er sie, wo einer
135

Von steilen Treppen schon

Den Sieg anhebet zu jauchzen.

English (Sir Richard Jebb1, 1904) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Sir Richard Jebb1, 1904)) — 127 focus

For Zeus utterly abhors the boasts of a proud tongue; and when he beheld them coming on in a 130 great stream, in the haughty pride of clanging gold, he smote with brandished fire one who was now hasting to shout victory at his goal upon our ramparts.

2

English (Robert Potter, 1788) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Robert Potter, 1788)) — 127 focus

Ere with our blood his beak was stain'd;

Ere to our rampires' height aspire

The dark-wreath'd smoke and wasting fire;

Such roar of war, such rout, such dread

The dragon race around him spread.
130

From our high tow'rs we view the Argive host,.

Their white shields glittering to the sun.—Pheniss. 1242.

For Jove indignant hears the vaunts of pride,

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-79-1 χρυσοῦ καναχῆς ὑπεροπλίαις ¹

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 ²

mvp-comment-80-1 παλτῷ πυρί ³

mvp-comment-80-2 βαλβίδων ἐπ’ ἄκρων ⁴

mvp-comment-80-3 ὁρμῶντα ⁵

mvp-comment-80-4 νίκην ⁶ ἀλαλάξαι ⁷

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

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.

Sophocles Antigone 127

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Current edition Experimental

Denn Zeus hafst schwer grofssprechender Zung'
125

hochmüthig Geprahl'; und als er ersah,

wie in mächtigem Strom sie zogen heran,

in des Goldes Geklirr, hoffärtiges Sinns,

wirft den er herab mit geschleudertem Strahl,

der aufstieg schon
130

zu den Zinnen in jubelndem Siegsruf,

O sir ! to younger hands commit the task.

Creon

CORO

Denn sehr hafst Zevs das Prangen

Der grofsen Zung’ und wo er,

Wenn sie langschreitend kommen,

Ins goldene ihnen sieht, ins eitle Hinaussehn,

Mit geschwungenem Feuer stürzet er sie, wo einer
135

Von steilen Treppen schon

Den Sieg anhebet zu jauchzen.

2

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

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Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Current edition Experimental

Denn Zeus hafst schwer grofssprechender Zung' 125 hochmüthig Geprahl'; und als er ersah, wie in mächtigem Strom sie zogen heran, in des Goldes Geklirr, hoffärtiges Sinns, wirft den er herab mit geschleudertem Strahl, der aufstieg schon 130 zu den Zinnen in jubelndem Siegsruf,

Denn schwer haßt Zeus der vermessenen Zung' Hochfahrenden Stolz; und als er ihr Heer, Den heranwogenden Strom, schimmernd in Gold, Im Geräusch unbändigen Trozes ersah, 130 Da traf er den Mann mit geschwungenem Strahl, 1 Der schon an die Höh'n, Siegsruf anstimmend, empordrang. Zweite Strophe.

O sir ! to younger hands commit the task.

Creon

CORO

Denn sehr hafst Zevs das Prangen Der grofsen Zung’ und wo er, Wenn sie langschreitend kommen, Ins goldene ihnen sieht, ins eitle Hinaussehn, Mit geschwungenem Feuer stürzet er sie, wo einer 135 Von steilen Treppen schon Den Sieg anhebet zu jauchzen.

2

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

Denn Zeus hafst schwer grofssprechender Zung'
125

hochmüthig Geprahl'; und als er ersah,

wie in mächtigem Strom sie zogen heran,

in des Goldes Geklirr, hoffärtiges Sinns,

wirft den er herab mit geschleudertem Strahl,

der aufstieg schon
130

zu den Zinnen in jubelndem Siegsruf,

Denn sehr hafst Zevs das Prangen

Der grofsen Zung’ und wo er,

Wenn sie langschreitend kommen,

Ins goldene ihnen sieht, ins eitle Hinaussehn,

Mit geschwungenem Feuer stürzet er sie, wo einer
135

Von steilen Treppen schon

Den Sieg anhebet zu jauchzen.

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