Sophocles Antigone 173

Robert Potter (Translator)

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Creon
ATTENDANT, CREON, CHORUS. 1317

My royal lord, what dreadful ills are thine!

There in thy hands thou bearest; in thy house

Others await thee: thou wilt see them soon.

Is their aught worse? Is there aught else of ill?

Thy queen, the mother of this breathless youth,
1325
1328

Gored with fresh wounds, unhappy, is no more.

O thou polluted port of death, why thus,
1330

Why thus dost thou destroy me? What ill sounds,

Ah me, of dreadful utterance hast thou sent!

Antigone. Sophocles. Robert Potter (Translator). London. 1820.

Current edition Experimental

English (Robert Potter, 1788) (OCR draft) (English) (English (Robert Potter, 1788))

Provisional text from uncorrected OCR; expect errors.

Editions (12)

Greek (L. Benloew, 1858) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (L. Benloew, 1858)) — 173 focus

γένους κατ᾽ ἀγχιστεῖα τῶν ὀλωλότων.

Greek (A. Boeckh, 1884) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (A. Boeckh, 1884)) — 173 focus

ἀρχαῖς τε καὶ νόμοισιν ἐντριβὴς φανῇ.

Greek (F. H. Bothe, 1806) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (F. H. Bothe, 1806)) — 173 focus

ἀμήχανον δὲ παντὸς ἀνδρὸς ἐκμαθεῖν,

Greek (Lewis Campbell, 1879) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (Lewis Campbell, 1879)) — 173 focus

ἐγὼ κράτη δὴ πάντα καὶ θρόνους ἔχω

Greek (A. Colonna, 1978) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (A. Colonna, 1978)) — 173 focus

ἐγὼ κράτη δὴ πάντα καὶ θρόνους ἔχω

Greek (A. Dain, 1955) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (A. Dain, 1955)) — 173.mvp-line-173 focus

ἐγὼ κράτη δὴ πάντα καὶ θρόνους ἔχω

Greek (R. D. Dawe, 1979) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (R. D. Dawe, 1979)) — 173 focus

ἐγὼ κράτη δὴ πάντα καὶ θρόνους ἔχω

Greek (G. Hermann, 1830) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (G. Hermann, 1830)) — 173 focus

ἐγὼ κράτη δὴ πάντα καὶ θρόνους ἔχω

Greek (R. C. Jebb, 1906) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (R. C. Jebb, 1906)) — 173 focus

ἐγὼ κράτη δὴ πάντα καὶ θρόνους ἔχω

Greek (A. C. Pearson, 1924) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (A. C. Pearson, 1924)) — 173.mvp-line-173 focus

ἐγὼ κράτη δὴ πάντα καὶ θρόνους ἔχω

Antigone (OCR draft) Experimental (Antigone) — 173 focus

ἐγὼ κράτη δὴ πάντα καὶ θρόνους ἔχω

Greek (K. Reinhardt, 1949) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (K. Reinhardt, 1949)) — 173 focus

ἐγὼ κράτη δὴ πάντα καὶ θρόνους ἔχω

Translations (10)

German (A. Boeckh, 1884) (OCR draft) Experimental (German (A. Boeckh, 1884)) — 173 focus

KREON.

Nie wirst du diese noch bei ihrem Leben frei'n.

Spanish (J. A. Bolufer, 1921) (OCR draft) Experimental (Spanish (J. A. Bolufer, 1921)) — 173 focus

HEMÓN

No; de ninguna manera; eso no lo creas nunca; ella no morirá delante de mí, ni tú tampoco verás ya mi cara ante tus ojos; para que te enfurezcas con los amigos que te quieran aguantar.

Latin (F. H. Bothe, 1806) (OCR draft) Experimental (Latin (F. H. Bothe, 1806)) — 173 focus

Haemon

Haud sane me prope adstante (ne tu hoc umquam in animum inducas) neque haec coram peribit, neque tu umquam me oculis tuis obversari vivum videbis, quoniam in eos , qui te iuvare cupiunt, insanis.

English (Lewis Campbell, 1906) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Lewis Campbell, 1906)) — 173 focus

HAEM

Nay, dream not she shall suffer in my sight

Nor shalt thou ever see my face again

Let those stay with you that can brook your rage!

German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review) (OCR draft) Experimental (German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review)) — 162 focus

Ihr Männer, fest hob Götterhuld uns wiederum

Aus vieler Stürme wildem Drang die Stadt empor:

Doch euch beschied ich jezt allein aus Allen her

Durch meine Boten; denn ich weiß, daß allezeit
165

Ihr heilig ehrtet Thron und Macht des Laïos,

Und wieder, als uns Dedipus die Stadt erhob,

Und als er hingeschieden, auch den Söhnen noch

In wandellosem Sinne treu ergeben bliebt.

Nun diese Beiden durch ein zwiefach Todesloos
170

An Einem Tag gefallen, sich erschlagend und

Erschlagen durch der eignen Hände Gräuelthat:

So wurden mein die Throne, mein ward alle Macht

Der Todten nach dem Rechte stammverwandten Bluts.

Wohl ist's unmöglich, auszuspäh'n an jedem Mann
175

Verstand, Gemüth und Sinnesart, bevor er sich

Mit Aemtern und Gesezen wohlvertraut bewies.

Denn mir erscheint, wer einen ganzen Staat beherrscht,

Und nicht am besten Rathe sich zu halten weiß,

Ja, feig und furchtsam seinen Mund verschlossen hält,
180

Verworfen scheint er heute mir und schien es längst.

Und wer des eignen Landes Wohl nicht höher stellt,

Als seine Freunde, diesen acht' ich völlig Nichts.

Denn ich vernehm' es Zeus, der stets allsehende!

Ich schwiege niemals, säh' ich auf die Bürger je
185

Heran das Unglück schreiten an des Glückes Statt,

Noch werd' ich jemals einen Feind des Landes mir

Zum Freunde wählen, weil ich wohl erkenne, daß

Nur dieses uns behütet, daß uns Freunde treu

Zur Seite stehen, schiffen wir an seinem Bord.
190

Durch solche Sazung heb' ich diese Stadt empor;

Und dem entsprechend ließ ich jezt von Dedipus'

Zwei Söhnen allem Volke-laut verkündigen:

Eteokles, welcher kämpfend fiel für diese Stadt,

Und jeden Preis des Heldenmuthes sich errang,
195

Er soll ein Grab und alle Grabesweih'n empfah'n,

So wie's den Besten folgt hinab zur Todtenwelt;¹

Doch seinem Bruder - Polyneikes mein' ich, der

Das Land der Ahnen und die Götter dieser Flur,

Heimkehrend aus dem Banne, durch des Feuers Glut
200

Austilgen wollte, wollte sich in Bürgerblut

Satt schwelgen, euch zu Knechten frech entwürdigen,

Ihm dürfe, so ward eurer Stadt es kundgethan,

Niemand ein Grabmal schmücken, noch ihm Klage weih'n;

Nein, unbestattet lieg' er, zur Verstümmelung,
205

Zum Fraß für Hund' und Vögel, graunvoll anzuseh'n.

So lautet denn mein Wille: niemals werden wir

Dem Schlechten Ehre geben vor dem Redlichen;

Doch wer da wohlwill dieser Stadt, der wird im Tod

Und Leben gleicherweise stets von mir geehrt.
210

Der Chor.

English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759)) — 173 focus

Chorus

Must they both die then?
770

No ; 'tis well advised,
770

but for Antigoue-
770

Ismene lives
770

Spanish (A. G. Garbin, 1889) (OCR draft) Experimental (Spanish (A. G. Garbin, 1889)) — 173 focus

CREONTE

Pues á esta te prometo que no la gozarás viva por esposa.

German (F. Hölderlin, 1804) (OCR draft) Experimental (German (F. Hölderlin, 1804)) — 173 focus

CHOR

Denkst du sogar zu tödten diese beiden ?

English (Sir Richard Jebb1, 1904) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Sir Richard Jebb1, 1904)) — 173 focus

Chorus

The man is gone, O king, in angry haste; a youthful man, when stung, is fierce.

English (Sir Richard Jebb2, 1904) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Sir Richard Jebb2, 1904)) — 162-330 focus

Enter Creon, with two attendants.

Creon

My fellow citizens! First, the gods, after tossing the fate of our city on wild waves, have once more righted it. Second, I have ordered you through my messengers to come here

apart from all the rest, because I knew, first of all, how constant was your reverence for the power of the throne of Laius; how, again, you were reverent, when Oedipus was guiding our city; and lastly, how, when he was dead, you still maintained loyal thoughts towards his children.
165

Since, then, these latter have fallen in one day by a twofold doom—each striking, each struck, both with the stain of a brother’s murder—I now possess all the power and the throne according to my kinship with the dead.
170

Now, it is impossible to know fully any man’s character, will, or judgment, until he has been proved by the test of rule and law-giving. For if anyone who directs the entire city does not cling to the best and wisest plans,
175

but because of some fear keeps his lips locked, then, in my judgment, he is and has long been the most cowardly traitor. And if any man thinks a friend more important than his fatherland, that man, I say, is of no account. Zeus, god who sees all things always, be my witness—
180

I would not be silent if I saw ruin, instead of safety, marching upon the citizens. Nor would I ever make a man who is hostile to my country a friend to myself, because I know this, that our country is the ship that bears us safe, and that only when
185

we sail her on a straight course can we make true friends. Such are the rules by which I strengthen this city. Akin to these is the edict which I have now published to the citizenry concerning the sons of Oedipus: Eteocles, who fell fighting
190

in behalf of our city and who excelled all in battle, they shall entomb and heap up every sacred offering that descends to the noblest of the dead below. But as for his brother, Polyneices, I mean, who on his return from exile wanted to burn to the ground
195

the city of his fathers and his race’s gods, and wanted to feed on kindred blood and lead the remnant into slavery—it has been proclaimed to the city that no one shall give him funeral honors or lamentation,
200

but all must leave him unburied and a sight of shame, with his body there for birds and dogs to eat. This is my will, and never will I allow the traitor to stand in honor before the just. But whoever has good will to Thebes ,
205

he shall be honored by me in death as in life.
210

211

Chorus

That is your will, Creon, towards this city’s enemy and its friend. And the power is yours, I believe, to make use of every law whatsoever, both concerning the dead and all us who live.

Creon

See, then, that you be guardians of my commands.
215

Chorus

Lay the weight of this task on some younger man.

Creon

That is not what I meant—the guards for the corpse are already in place.

Chorus

Then what is this other command that you would give?

Creon

That you not give way to the breakers of my commands.

Chorus

There is no one so foolish as to crave death.
220

Creon

I assure you, that is the wage for disobedience. Yet by just the hope of it, money has many times corrupted men.

Enter Guard.

Guard

My king, I will not say that I arrive breathless because of speed, or from the action of a swift foot.

For often I brought myself to a stop because of my thoughts, and wheeled round in my path to return. My mind was telling me many things: Fool, why do you go to where your arrival will mean your punishment? Idiot, are you dallying again? If Creon learns it from another, must you not suffer for it?
225

So debating, I made my way unhurriedly, slow, and thus a short road was made long. At last, however, the view prevailed that I should come here—to you. Even if my report brings no good, still will I tell you,
230

since I come with a good grip on one hope, that I can suffer nothing except what is my fate.
235

237

Creon

And what is it that so disheartens you?

Guard

I want to tell you first about myself—I did not do the deed, nor did I see the doer,

so it would be wrong that I should come to any harm.
240

Creon

Like a bowman you aim well at your target from a distance, and all around you hedge yourself off well from the deed. It is clear that you have some unheard-of thing to tell.

Guard

That I do, for terrible news imposes great hesitation.

Creon

Then tell it, will you, and so unburdened go away?

Guard

Well, here it is. The corpse—some one has just given it burial and disappeared after sprinkling thirsty dust on the flesh and performing the other rites that piety demands.
245

Creon

What are you saying? What man dared do this?

Guard

I do not know. For there was no scar of a pickax to be seen there,

no earth thrown up by a mattock. The ground was hard and dry, unbroken, not rolled over by wheels. The doer was someone who left no trace. When the first day-watchman showed it to us, a discomforting amazement fell on us all.
250

The dead man was veiled from us—not shut within a tomb, but a light cover of dust was on him, as if put there by the hand of one who shunned a curse. And no sign was visible that any beast of prey or any dog had approached or torn him. Then evil words flew thick and loud among us,
255

guard accusing guard. It would even have come to blows in the end, nor was there anyone there to prevent it: every man was the culprit, and no one was plainly guilty, while all disclaimed knowledge of the act. We were ready to take red-hot iron in our hands,
260

to walk through fire and to swear oaths by the gods that we had neither done the deed, nor shared knowledge of the planning or the doing. At last, when our investigating got us nowhere, someone spoke up and made us all bend our faces
265

in fear towards the earth. For we did not know how we could argue with him, nor yet prosper, if we did what he said. His argument was that the deed must be reported to you and not hidden. This view prevailed, and so it was that
270

the lot doomed miserable me to win this prize. So here I stand, as unwelcome to you as I am unwilling, I well know. For no man delights in the bearer of bad news.
275

278

Chorus

My king, my thoughts have long been deliberating whether this deed is somehow the work of gods?

Creon

Quiet, before your words truly fill me with rage, so that you not be found at the same time foolish as well as old. You say what is intolerable when you claim that the gods have concern for that corpse. Was it in high esteem for his benefactions
280

that they sought to hide him, when he had come to burn their columned shrines, their sacred treasures and their land, and scatter its laws to the winds? Or do you see the gods honoring the wicked? It cannot be. No! From the very first
285

certain men of the city were chafing at this edict and muttering against me, tossing their heads in secret, and they did not keep their necks duly under the yoke in submission to me. By those men, I am certain, they were led astray and bribed to do this deed.
290

Nothing so evil as money ever grew to be current among men. This destroys cities, this drives men from their homes, this trains and warps honest minds to set themselves to works of shame,
295

this teaches people to practise villainies, and to know every act of unholiness. But all the men who did this job for hire have made sure that, sooner or later, they shall suffer the punishment. Now, as Zeus still has my reverence, know this well—
300

I tell you on my oath. If you do not find the very hand that made this burial, and reveal him before my eyes, mere death shall not suffice for you, not before, hung up alive, you have made this outrage plain,
305

so that hereafter you may thieve with better knowledge of where your money should be received from, and learn that it is best not to be fond of money-making from any and every source. For you will find that ill-gotten gains bring more men to ruin than to safety.
310

315

Guard

Will you allow me to speak? Or shall I just turn and go?
315

Creon

Do you not know even now how much your voice sickens me?

Guard

Is the pain in your ears, or in your soul?

Creon

And why would you define the seat of my pain?

Guard

He who did it hurts your heart, but I, your ears.

Creon

God! How plain it is that you are a born babbler.
320

Guard

Perhaps, but never the author of this action.

Creon

Yes, and what is more, you sold your life for silver.

Guard

Ah! It is truly sad when the judge judges wrong .

Creon

Expound on judgment as you will. But, if you fail to

show me the perpetrators of these crimes, you will avow that money basely earned wreaks sorrows. Exit Creon.
325

Guard

Well, may the man be found! That would be best. But, whether he be caught or not—for fortune must decide that—I assure you that you will not see me come here again.

Saved just now beyond hope and belief, I owe the gods great thanks. Exit the Guard.
330

Commentary

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

mvp-comment-792-1 τάδ’ οὐκ ἐπ’ ἄλλον βροτῶν ¹

mvp-comment-792-2 ἁρμόσει ποτέ ² ἁρμόσει ³ ἐκ ⁴

mvp-comment-793-1 μέλεος ⁵

mvp-comment-793-2 φάμ’ ἔτυμον ⁶

mvp-comment-794-1 ὅ τι τάχιστ’ ⁷

mvp-comment-795-1 τὸν οὐκ ὄντα μᾶλλον ἢ μηδένα ⁸

mvp-comment-796-1 κέρδη ⁹

mvp-comment-796-2 τὰ γὰρ ἐν ποσὶ κακὰ κράτιστά ¹⁰ βράχιστα ¹¹

mvp-comment-796-3 τἀν ποσίν ¹²

mvp-comment-797-1 μόρων ὁ κάλλιστ’ ἔχων ¹³

mvp-comment-797-2 Both these difficulties (which to me seem insuperable) are removed by reading

μόρων ὁ κάλλιστ’ ἔχων

, the best of fates. That

ἔχων

could have been changed to

ἐμῶν

, either by conjecture or by accident, is shown by v. 575, where at the end of the verse L has the probably true

ἐμοί

, while other MSS. have

ἔφυ

. (If

κύνες

is right in 467, and

ξίφει

in 1301, these, too, are instances of final words corrupted.) A question of punctuation remains. The comma might follow either

ἔχων

or

ἐμοί

. I prefer the latter. Cp. Ai. 394

ἰὼ σκότος, ἐμὸν φάος, | ἔρεβος ὦ φαεννότατον, ὡς ἐμοί

.

mvp-comment-798-1 ὕπατος ¹⁴

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

1318. mvp-comment-733-1 ἐμᾶς .. ἐξ αἰτίας Away from blame to me; i.e. So as to exonerate ταῦτα] τ with gl. ταῦτα Α. me. Cp. 1. 614.

1325. mvp-comment-734-1 ἢ μηδένα i.e. ἢ τὸν μὴ ὄντα. Ср. О. Т. 1019, and note.

1326. mvp-comment-735-1 κέρδη παραινεῖς Viz. in saying ἄγετέ μ' ἐκποδών, Cp. Ο. Τ. 1512. For the plural κέρδη, cp. О. С. 92, Phil. 921.

1327. mvp-comment-736-1 A general aphorism.

1329. mvp-comment-737-1 κάλλιστα The adverb is emphatic, and has the force of a predicate. Let that last doom appear, which of all coming upon me has the highest glory of bringing me the end of days. Not one doom but many have fallen upon Creon. But of all that can come upon him, death is the lightest and the best.

1329. mvp-comment-737-2 ἆμαρ ἀλλ᾿ L.

1329. mvp-comment-737-3 εἰσίδω ἐσίδω Vat. α ἐξ Vat.