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Chorus
1115
Go thou, nor others with this charge entrust.
1115
Instant I go. You, my attendants, haste,
1115
With axes in your hands haste to the plain...
And I (since now my sentence is reversed)
Who bound her, will in person set her free....
I fear that to preserve the ancient laws
Through all his life is man's discreetest part.
1120
O thou by various names renown'd,
1120
The Theban Nymph's illustrious grace,
Sprung from enraptur'd Jove's embrace,
While all his awful thunders roll'd around;
Who joy'st thy richest gifts to pour
O'er blest Italia's favour'd shore,
And on the hallow'd Eleusinian plain
Where Ceres waves her ripen'd gold,
1125
With her thy mystic reign dost hold;
1125
1126
God of the shouting Thyad train,
Pleased o'er the walls, which thy loved Thebes enclose,
A present guardian to preside,
Where deep Ismenus rolls his tide,
'Midst the fierce race that from the dragon rose !
1130
Thee saw the wild and rocky steep,
1130
Whose forked summits proudly rise,
And stretch their rude brows to the skies,
Where the Corycian Nymphs their orgies keep:
Thee, the flames blazing on the mount:
• Thee, pure Castalia's sacred fount:
Thee, the Nysæan mountain's craggy sides,
O'er which the mantling ivy twines:
The swelling hillocks green with vines,
Whose purple fruit their foliage hides;
1135
And waking harmony's enchanting pow'rs,
1135
1137
On thee attends thy raptur'd train,
Raises the high immortal strain,
And hails thee guardian of the Theban tow'rs.
The Theban tow'rs their rampires rear,
Thy guardian care their boast, their pride;
1140
They to thy mother too were dear,
1140
Who in the flaming thunder died.
Now, while her banners Discord waves,
While through our streets Confusion raves,
Prompt to avert our threaten'd woe
Haste from the steep Parnassian brow,
1145
Or from Euboea's groaning shore,
1145
1146
And to thy Thebans peace restore!
Thou leader of the starry train
That flaming bursts upon the sight;
Director of th' harmonious strain
Whose sweet notes charm the ear of night,
Hear, son of Jove, O Bacchus, hear,
Bright in thy form divine appear
1150
Thy frentic Nymphs from Naxos lead,
1150
The frolic dance who lightly tread,
And, as around their god they stand,
Hail thee the leader of their band!
Go thou, nor others with this charge entrust.
1115
Instant I go. You, my attendants, haste,
1115
With axes in your hands haste to the plain...
And I (since now my sentence is reversed)
Who bound her, will in person set her free....
I fear that to preserve the ancient laws
Through all his life is man's discreetest part.
1120
O thou by various names renown'd,
1120
The Theban Nymph's illustrious grace,
Sprung from enraptur'd Jove's embrace,
While all his awful thunders roll'd around;
Who joy'st thy richest gifts to pour
O'er blest Italia's favour'd shore,
And on the hallow'd Eleusinian plain
Where Ceres waves her ripen'd gold,
1125
With her thy mystic reign dost hold;
1125
God of the shouting Thyad train,
Pleased o'er the walls, which thy loved Thebes enclose,
A present guardian to preside,
Where deep Ismenus rolls his tide,
'Midst the fierce race that from the dragon rose !
1130
Thee saw the wild and rocky steep,
1130
Whose forked summits proudly rise,
And stretch their rude brows to the skies,
Where the Corycian Nymphs their orgies keep:
Thee, the flames blazing on the mount:
• Thee, pure Castalia's sacred fount:
Thee, the Nysæan mountain's craggy sides,
O'er which the mantling ivy twines:
The swelling hillocks green with vines,
Whose purple fruit their foliage hides;
1135
And waking harmony's enchanting pow'rs,
1135
On thee attends thy raptur'd train,
Raises the high immortal strain,
And hails thee guardian of the Theban tow'rs.
The Theban tow'rs their rampires rear,
Thy guardian care their boast, their pride;
1140
They to thy mother too were dear,
1140
Who in the flaming thunder died.
Now, while her banners Discord waves,
While through our streets Confusion raves,
Prompt to avert our threaten'd woe
Haste from the steep Parnassian brow,
1145
Or from Euboea's groaning shore,
1145
And to thy Thebans peace restore!
Thou leader of the starry train
That flaming bursts upon the sight;
Director of th' harmonious strain
Whose sweet notes charm the ear of night,
Hear, son of Jove, O Bacchus, hear,
Bright in thy form divine appear
1150
Thy frentic Nymphs from Naxos lead,
1150
The frolic dance who lightly tread,
And, as around their god they stand,
Hail thee the leader of their band!
Antigone. Sophocles. Robert Potter (Translator). London. 1820.